[Linux] Bash scp Uso: Securely copy files between hosts

Overview

The scp (Secure Copy Protocol) command is used to securely transfer files and directories between two locations over a network. It leverages SSH (Secure Shell) for data transfer, ensuring that the data is encrypted during transmission.

Usage

The basic syntax of the scp command is as follows:

scp [options] [source] [destination]

Common Options

• -r: Recursively copy entire directories.
• -P port: Specify a port number to connect to the remote host.
• -i identity_file: Use the specified private key file for authentication.
• -v: Enable verbose mode, providing detailed output of the transfer process.
• -C: Enable compression to speed up the transfer of large files.

Common Examples

1. Copy a file from local to remote host:

   scp localfile.txt user@remote_host:/path/to/destination/
   

2. Copy a file from remote host to local machine:

   scp user@remote_host:/path/to/remotefile.txt /local/destination/
   

3. Copy an entire directory from local to remote host:

   scp -r local_directory/ user@remote_host:/path/to/destination/
   

4. Specify a port while copying a file:

   scp -P 2222 localfile.txt user@remote_host:/path/to/destination/
   

5. Use a specific private key for authentication:

   scp -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa localfile.txt user@remote_host:/path/to/destination/
   

Tips

• Always ensure that you have the correct permissions on the remote directory to avoid permission denied errors.
• Use the -v option for troubleshooting if you encounter issues during file transfer.
• For large files, consider using the -C option to enable compression, which can significantly reduce transfer time.