scp Command

What is Linux scp Command?#

scp (Secure Copy Protocol) is a command-line utility for securely transferring files and directories between hosts over an SSH connection. It combines the functionality of the traditional cp command with SSH encryption, providing a secure way to copy files across networks.

scp uses SSH for data transfer and authentication, ensuring that your files are encrypted during transmission. It’s part of the OpenSSH suite and is available on most Unix-like systems including Linux, macOS, and Windows Subsystem for Linux.

From the man page:

scp copies files between hosts on a network. It uses ssh for data transfer, and uses the same authentication and provides the same security as ssh. scp will ask for passwords or passphrases if they are needed for authentication.

Key Features#

• Secure transfer: Uses SSH encryption for secure file transfer
• Authentication: Supports SSH key-based and password authentication
• Recursive copying: Can copy entire directory structures
• Preserve attributes: Maintains file permissions and timestamps
• Cross-platform: Works between different Unix-like systems
• Simple syntax: Easy to use command-line interface

scp Syntax#

scp [options] source destination

The basic syntax follows the pattern:

• Local to Remote: scp file.txt user@remote:/path/
• Remote to Local: scp user@remote:/path/file.txt .
• Remote to Remote: scp user1@host1:/file user2@host2:/path/

Basic scp Examples#

Copy File from Local to Remote#

Transfer a single file to a remote server:

scp file.txt user@remote-server:/home/user/

Copy File from Remote to Local#

Download a file from a remote server:

scp user@remote-server:/home/user/file.txt /local/directory/

Copy File with Custom Name#

Rename the file during transfer:

scp localfile.txt user@remote:/path/newname.txt

Copy Multiple Files#

Transfer multiple files at once:

scp file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt user@remote:/destination/

• OpenSSH Official Website
• OpenSSH source code on GitHub
• scp Manual Page

Related Linux Commands#

You can read tutorials of related Linux commands below:

• rsync Command
• sftp Command
• wget Command

Summary#

In this comprehensive tutorial, we’ve covered the essential aspects of using scp for secure file transfer over SSH. scp is a fundamental tool for system administrators and developers who need to securely transfer files between systems.

Key takeaways:

• scp provides secure file transfer using SSH encryption
• Supports both key-based and password authentication
• Can transfer files locally to remote, remote to local, or between remote hosts
• Essential options include -r (recursive), -p (preserve attributes), and -P (port)
• Always use SSH keys for better security in production environments
• Consider rsync for large files or frequent synchronization needs

Visit our Linux Commands guide to learn more about using command line interface in Linux.