List of content you will read in this article:
- 1. How to Move Files in Linux
- 2. Moving files by using GUI
- 3. Moving files in the Linux terminal
- 4. Conclusion
- 5. FAQ
How to Move Files in Linux
First, let’s review something together, what does moving files mean? It means: To cut a file from the first location and paste it into another one. When you move a file, the file will get deleted from the previous place.
Now, we will focus on two different ways you can move your files.
- With GUI or Graphical User Interface
- With the terminal or the command-line tool
Moving files by using GUI
There are several GUL tools available for the Linux operating system. Nautilus is one of them that’s wildly used due to its flexibility. To transfer a file, follow the steps below:
- Open the file manager
- Choose your file and right-click on it
- Click on the ‘Move to’ option
- Select the new location
- Then press the ‘Select’ option
Moving files in the Linux terminal
Use the mv command to move your files from the source to the destination.
How to use the mv command and examples
The Linux command mv is a convenient way to move files and directories from one place to another. To use the 'mv' command, open the terminal and type in 'mv' followed by two arguments—the source and the destination of the file or directory you're moving.
For example, if you wanted to move a file named 'myfile.txt' from your home folder into the Documents folder, you would type the command below:
Syntax: mv myfile.txt Documents/myfile.txt
Example: Moving a folder into the directory
As mentioned above, you can move a file from one location to another. Let’s take a look at another example. To move the ‘Example.txt’ file to the ‘Example’ folder, follow the steps below:
- Move the ‘Example’ folder into the ‘Downloads’ directory.
- Type ‘Is’ to confirm.
Example: Moving several files at once
When you want to move several files simultaneously, the mv command will consider the last directory as the destination. In this case, you can move your files to the “Downloads” directory and follow the steps below:
- Open the “Documents” directory, as all of your files are placed there
- Type the ‘Is’ command
- Then press enter
Mv’s command options
Mv’s command options include:
mv -f
This command is used to force a move by overwriting the destination file.
mv -i
This command prompts you to confirm whether the file will overwrite the file in your destination.
mv -v
This command is used to show the progress of files being copied.
Conclusion
- Moving files is the act of cutting them and pasting them into another folder.
- Since moving a file in Linux isn’t as easy as moving on Windows or macOS, so you must be fluent with its commands.
- Your two methods for moving files in Linux are GUI and the Terminal.
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FAQ
What is the command to move a file in Linux?
The command for moving a file in Linux is "mv".
How do you move multiple files in Linux?
You can move multiple files in Linux using the command "mv" followed by a list of files or directories you want to move and their destination.
Is it possible to overwrite existing files when moving them to Linux?
Yes, it is possible to overwrite existing files using the "mv" command in Linux. To do so, use the "-f" flag after the command.
How do you move files and directories with the same name from one location to another?
To move files and directories with the same name from one location to another, you should use the "-i" flag after the "mv" command, which will prompt you if you want to overwrite an existing file/directory or not.
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