====== How to transfer files between Linux/Mac computers using SCP from the Command Line ======
This information is provided for the [[https://www.ubuntu.com/|Ubuntu]]/Debian editions of Linux used in the CS Department. Other Linux versions may vary.

===== What Is SCP? =====

In Linux, you can use the **Secure Copy Protocol** (**[[cs101:scp|SCP]]**) from the command line (**[[cs101:cli|CLI]]**) (the scp command) to securely copy files and directories between remote hosts without explicitly logging into the remote systems. The scp command uses **[[cs101:ssh|SSH]]** to transfer data, so it does requires a password or passphrase for authentication. Unlike **[[cs101:rcp|RCP]]** or **[[cs101:ftp|FTP]]**, SCP encrypts both the file and any passwords exchanged so that anyone snooping on the network cannot view them.

==== Basic Syntax ====
The most basic form of the command is:

    scp [options] source_username@source_host:source_directory/source_filename destination_username@destination_host:destination_directory/destination_filename
    
The location of the source file is specified by source_username@source_host:source_directory/source_filename, which includes:

  *   Name of the account on the host computer (source_username)
  *   Hostname (i.e. [[cs101:fqdn|FQDN]]) of the computer on which the source file resides (source_host)
  *   Name of the directory containing the source file (source_directory)
  *   Filename of the source file (source_filename)

The location to which the source file will be copied is specified by destination_username@destination_host:destination_directory/destination_filename, which includes:

  * Name of the account on the destination computer (destination_username)
  * Hostname of the computer to which the source file will be copied (destination_host)
  * Name of the directory to which the source file will be copied (destination_directory)
  * Filename of the copy (destination_filename)

Options can include things like [-P //port//] if not connecting to the standard SSH port 22.


You can find more information on Ubuntu SCP in the [[http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/focal/en/man1/scp.1.html|Ubuntu man pages]]