Introduction
SCP (Secure copy Protocol) command in Linux systems is generally used to copy file(s) between servers in a secure way. The SCP command in Linux is critical because it transfers data more securely and privately. Data sharing is core to properly working any system, so a command like scp allows us to do this process more efficiently and securely.
We can share data between various entities and have multiple services; we have Bluetooth and other software for our mobiles and pcs. Similarly, SCP is a way to share data in an operating system like Linux. Let's see how it helps us out.
What is SCP command in Linux?
The SCP or Secure Copy Protocol in Linux is a secure and efficient command to share data and files in an operating system. It’s similar to the simple copy command we often use but is much more. The protocol ensures the transmission of files is encrypted to prevent anyone with suspicious intentions from this shared data over the internet. SCP uses encryption over an SSH or (Secure Shell ) connection to encrypt the data we want to share to prevent misuse. It is used to copy files and directories between hosts on a network.
Syntax
The basic syntax for an SCP command expression in Linux is as follows:
scp [OPTIONS] [[user@]src_host:]file1 [[user@]dest_host:]file2
Let's breakdown this command:
| SCP: | This is the command itself |
|---|---|
| Options | Options flag that modifies the behavior of the command |
| Src_host | where the file is hosted. The source can either be a client or server, depending on the origin of the file. |
| Dest_host | the target location where you want to copy the file |
| file1 | The file you want to copy |
| file 2 | The final copied file with all the contents copied from the source file |
Let's take a quick example to understand it more thoroughly:
scp -C share.txt user@remotehost:/home/user/desktop/myfolder
Now, this command copies the share.txt file from the local host and copies it into the home/user/desktop/myfolder directory. Here we have used the -C options tag as well, which helps in compressing all files that can be compressed; this helps in saving bandwidth while transferring the file.
As seen above, we encountered an Options tag in the SCP command, so now, let's discuss them further.
OPTIONS in SCP Command in Linux
Options are crucial because they are part of the command that can modify the request according to different needs as per the situation we face; for example, in the above case, we used a C options tag to compress the files to make file transfer easier.
There are many options offered that we can use; let’s look at the most useful ones:
| Option | Usage |
|---|---|
| -P port | Specifies the port number for the SSH connection. SCP uses port 22 by default, but you can use this option to specify a different port. |
| -r | This option is used for Recursively copying directories. |
| -p: | Preserves the copied files and directories' modification times, access times, and permissions. |
| -q | Quiet mode. Suppresses the progress meter and non-error messages. |
| -C | Enables compression during the transfer to reduce bandwidth usage. |
| -i identity_file | Specifies the identity file (private key) for the SSH connection. This allows you to use a specific private key instead of the default. |
| -v | Verbose mode. Prints detailed debugging information during the transfer. |
| -c | This option is used for selecting a cipher to transfer data. |
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