Related

Secure Shell Remote Login

linux

Securely connect to remote systems using encrypted communication.

Copy Files

linux

Copy files and directories from one location to another.

List Directory Contents

linux

List files and directories in the current or specified directory with various formatting options.

linux/scp

Secure Copy Files Between Hosts

Securely copy files or directories between local and remote hosts over SSH.

network
file-transfer
security
ssh
linux

Command

scp

Explanation

The `scp` (secure copy) command leverages SSH to securely transfer files between local and remote systems. It supports recursive copying with `-r`, and can use different authentication keys via `-i`. Bandwidth limits can be applied using the `-l` flag. It is commonly replaced by `rsync` for advanced synchronization needs.

Common Use Cases

  • •Transfer backup files between servers
  • •Upload application files to a remote system
  • •Copy directories for deployment or testing

Best Practices

  • ✓Use SSH keys for authentication instead of passwords
  • ✓Verify file integrity after transfer
  • ✓Use `rsync` for incremental or large transfers

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • ⚠Using wrong paths or overwriting files on remote systems
  • ⚠Forgetting `-r` when copying directories

Troubleshooting

Problem: Permission denied during file transfer

Solution: Check file permissions and SSH key access for the remote user.

Problem: Connection timed out

Solution: Ensure the remote host is reachable and SSH is enabled.

Examples

Copy file to remote host

scp file.txt user@host:/path

Copy file from remote host to current directory

scp user@host:/path/file.txt .

Recursively copy a directory

scp -r project/ user@host:/backup/

More

Remove Files or Directories

linux

Delete files or directories permanently.

Copy Files

docker

Copy files or folders between a container and the local filesystem.

Move or Rename Files

linux

Move or rename files and directories.