INSTALL(1)

📦
version 9.10 · 5 versions
, in ubuntu stonking

💖 INSTALL(1) — bestie's guide to install 💖

okay so you found the install manual page, and honestly? she's an icon. she lives in the GNU coreutils, she's a User Command, and she copies files AND sets their attributes. no cap. let's get into it 🫶

✨ NAME ✨

install — copy files and set attributes. that's it, that's the whole vibe. 💅

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

install [OPTION]... [-T] SOURCE DEST
install [OPTION]... SOURCE... DIRECTORY
install [OPTION]... -t DIRECTORY SOURCE...
install [OPTION]... -d DIRECTORY...

four forms, four moods, all of them slay. ⭐

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so this install program copies files (usually the ones you literally just compiled, like fresh out the compiler) into whatever destination locations you choose. main character behavior fr fr. 💅

important side quest: if what you actually wanna do is download and install a ready-to-use package on a GNU/Linux system, you should be using a package manager like yum(1) or apt-get(1) instead. not install. she's for a different job. iykyk.

okay so the forms:

  • in the first three forms, you copy SOURCE to DEST, or multiple SOURCE(s) to the existing DIRECTORY, while setting permission modes and owner/group. glowed up copy-paste. ✨
  • in the 4th form, you create all components of the given DIRECTORY(ies). nesting? built the whole house. 🎀

and a lil note that matters: mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too. so no skipping, bestie. 🙈

✨ the options (aka the whole menu) ✨

  • --backup[=CONTROL] — make a backup of each existing destination file. safety first, queen. 💜
  • -b — like --backup but she does not accept an argument. low maintenance.
  • -c — (ignored). yeah she's just there. standing in the corner. not doing anything. we love her anyway. 💀
  • -C, --compare — compare content of source and destination files, and if there's no change to content, ownership, and permissions, do not modify the destination at all. it's giving "if it ain't broke". 👑
  • -d, --directory — treat all arguments as directory names; create all components of the specified directories. 💅
  • -D — create all leading components of DEST except the last, or all components of --target-directory, then copy SOURCE to DEST.
  • --debug — explain how a file is copied. implies -v. she narrates everything, and honestly? valid. 😭
  • -g, --group=GROUP — set group ownership, instead of the process' current group.
  • -m, --mode=MODE — set permission mode (as in chmod), instead of rwxr-xr-x. customize the fit. ✨
  • -o, --owner=OWNER — set ownership (super-user only). > heads up bestie: super-user only, so don't come for me if it says no. 🔥
  • -p, --preserve-timestamps — apply access/modification times of SOURCE files to corresponding destination files. keeping her timestamps, untouched, pristine. 🥹
  • -s, --strip — strip symbol tables.
  • --strip-program=PROGRAM — program used to strip binaries.
  • -S, --suffix=SUFFIX — override the usual backup suffix.
  • -t, --target-directory=DIRECTORY — copy all SOURCE arguments into DIRECTORY. 🌈
  • -T, --no-target-directory — treat DEST as a normal file.
  • -v, --verbose — print the name of each created file or directory. she's a yapper and we're obsessed. 💖
  • --preserve-context — preserve SELinux security context.
  • -Z — set SELinux security context of destination file and each created directory, to default type.
  • --context[=CTX] — like -Z, or if CTX is specified then set the SELinux or SMACK security context to CTX.
  • --help — display this help and exit. the classic.
  • --version — output version information and exit.

🎀 the backup lore 🎀

so the backup suffix is '~', unless you set it with --suffix or the SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX environment variable. 🌸

and the version control method? that may be selected via the --backup option or through the VERSION_CONTROL environment variable. here are the values, memorize them like your fave lyrics:

  • none, off — never make backups (even if --backup is given). bold. reckless. iconic. 💀
  • numbered, t — make numbered backups.
  • existing, nil — numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise. she's flexible, she adapts. 🦋
  • simple, never — always make simple backups.

👑 AUTHOR 👑

Written by David MacKenzie. king behavior, no notes. 🫶

😭 REPORTING BUGS 😭

found a bug? tell the people:

💜 SEE ALSO 💜

Packaged by Ubuntu (9.10-1ubuntu2). Copyright © 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>. This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

not me ending on the legal bit but it MATTERS: no warranty, to the extent permitted by law. periodt. ✨

and that's the page, bestie — GNU coreutils 9.10, dated August 2026, INSTALL(1), all wrapped up with a lil bow 🎀 go forth and install responsibly, mwah 💖🦋✨

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