The “install” Command in Linux [6+ Practical Examples]

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The install command in Linux copies files, creates directories and sets file attributes. You can also install packages with this command but then you will need to use package managers like yum or apt-get. In this article, I will explain the basic use of the install command in Linux with practical examples.

A. Description

The install command in Linux copies files from the source to a given destination. If the destination directory does not exist it can also be used to create it. The command also allows users to change permissions as well as the owner/group of the copied file.

NOTE: The install command in Linux along with its options offers functionalities similar to other available commands in Linux. These similar features are listed below.

B. Syntax

There are multiple syntaxes of the install command in Linux. Here, I have shown the two most basic syntaxes of the command. The first syntax is used to copy files from source to destination. Whereas the second one with option -d treats all files as directories. For more details, you can take a look at the man page.

man install
install [OPTION]... SOURCE DEST
install [OPTION]... -d DIRECTORY...
Note: In the above syntax OPTION enclosed by square brackets and followed by 3 dots represents that multiple options can be utilized at the same time. Similarly, 3 dots after DIRECTORY suggest that you can specify multiple directories to work with.

C. Options

A number of useful options are available for the install command. I have listed some of the most used ones here. However, to learn more about the install command you can always check the man page.

man install

Useful Options

  • -C: Compares a pair of source and destination files.
  • -d: Takes given files as directories and creates necessary files inside directories similar to the mkdir.
  • -D: Creates leading directories of the destination except for the target directory.
  • -g: Sets group ownership.
  • -m: Sets user permission mods, same as chmod.
  • -o: Sets user’s ownership.
  • -t: Copies source files into a directory.
  • -T: Treats destination as a file.
NB: The options in Linux CLI (Command Line Interface) are all case-sensitive, So be cautious while using them.

Practical Examples of the “install” Command in Linux

The install command in Linux is one of the useful commands to copy files and change their attributes at the same time. In this section, I will present you with some of the frequent applications of this command.

Example 1: Copying Files into Directories Using the “install” Command in Linux

You can use the install command in Linux to copy files into directories. The command creates a new file with the same name in the destination folder. In this example, I will copy the file “jobs.txt” from my current directory to the Downloads folder. You can do the same by following the steps below.

Steps to Follow >

➊ At first, open the Ubuntu Terminal.

➋ Type the following command in the command prompt:

install jobs.txt Downloads

➌ Now, press the ENTER button.

Output >

In the following image, you can see that I have copied the “jobs.txt” to the Downloads folder. You can see the newly created file using the ls command.Copying Files into Directories Using install Command in Linux


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Example 2: Compare and Copy Files Using the “install” Command in Linux

You can copy the contents of one file to another using the install command in Linux. To do so you will need to mention both source and destination files. If the destination file already has some content, it will be overwritten in this case. Using the -C option along with the command compares the file contents while copying them. In this example, I will compare and copy texts from the “file1.txt” to the file “file2.txt”. You can do the same by following the given process.

Steps to Follow >

➊ At first, go to the Ubuntu Terminal.

➋ Type the following command in the command prompt:

install -C file1.txt file2.txt

➌ Now, hit the ENTER button.

Output >

In the image below, you can see that I have copied the contents of “file1.txt” to the file “file2.txt”. Using the cat command you will be able to view the previous and updated contents of each file.Copying Files Using install Command in Linux.

Example 3: Creating Directories Using the “install” Command in Linux

You can create new directories using the install command in Linux with the option -d. This option treats every argument as a directory. In this example, I will create a directory named “JobsDirectory”. To do so you can follow the steps below.

Steps to Follow >

➊ Launch the Ubuntu Terminal.

➋ Type the following command in the command prompt:

install -d JobsDirectory

➌ Press  ENTER.

Output >

In the given image, you can see that I have created a new directory named “JobsDirectory”. Here, I used the ls to show you the newly created directory.Creating Directories Using install Command.


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Example 4: Setting User Permissions Using the “install” Command in Linux

You can set the user permissions while copying files using the install command in Linux with the option -m. This option takes an octal number as an argument to set the permissions for the owner, group, and others. In this example, I will copy the “file1.txt” contents to the “permission.txt” file and update its permissions to 754 (-rwxr-xr–). You can do this by following the process below.

Steps to Follow >

➊ At first, open the Ubuntu Terminal.

➋ Type the following command in the command prompt:

install -m 754 file1.txt permission.txt

➌ Now, hit the ENTER button.

Output >

In the image given below, you can see that I have updated the destination file permissions while copying the file. You can use the ls command along with the -l option to view the previous and updated permissions of the files. Setting User Permissions Using install Command in Linux.


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Example 5: Setting Ownership Using the “install” Command in Linux

You can change ownership of a file using the install command in Linux. In this case, you must run the command as superuser using the sudo command because it works the same way as the chown command. The command allows you to change the owner using the -o option and the group using the -g option individually. Follow the below examples to learn about these separate applications.

Case A: Specifying Owner of a File Using “install” Command in Linux

To change the owner of the copied file follow the given steps.

Steps to Follow >

➊ Go to the Ubuntu Terminal.

➋ Type the following command in the command prompt:

sudo install -o demouser file1.txt userfile1.txt

➌ Type your password.

❹ Hit ENTER.

Output >

In the following image, you can see that I have changed the ownership of the copied file from “anonnya” to “demouser”. You can use the ls command along with the -l option to view the ownership of the files.Specifying Owner of a File Using install Command in Linux.

Case B: Specifying Group of a File Using “install” Command in Linux

To change the group of the copied file follow the steps below.

Steps to Follow >

➊ At first, launch the Ubuntu Terminal.

➋ Type the following command in the command prompt:

sudo install -g demouser file1.txt userfile2.txt

➌ Type your password.

❹ Press ENTER.

Output >

In the following image, you can see that I have changed the group ownership of the copied file from “anonnya” to “demouser”. I have also used the ls command along with the -l option to show you the ownership of the files.Specifying Group of a File Using install Command in Linux.


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Example 6: Displaying Verbose Output Using the “install” Command in Linux

You can display a verbose output while copying files using the install command in Linux. To get this output you will need to use the option -v along with the command. In this example, I will show you the detailed output of copying the “file1.txt” contents to the file “file2.txt”. You can do the same by following the given process.

Steps to Follow >

➊ Open the Ubuntu Terminal.

➋ Type the following command in the command prompt:

install -v file1.txt file2.txt

➌ Press the ENTER button.

Output >

In the image below, you can see that I have displayed the verbose output of the copying task.Displaying Verbose Output Using install Command.

Conclusion

In this article, I have demonstrated the frequent uses of the install command in Linux. This command will allow copy file contents as well as set owners and their permissions for a file. I hope the command’s detailed usage along with practical examples will help you with your journey in Linux distribution.


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Anonnya Ghosh

Hello there! I am Anonnya Ghosh, a Computer Science and Engineering graduate from Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST). Currently, I am working as a Linux Content Developer Executive at SOFTEKO. The strong bond between Linux and cybersecurity drives me to explore this world of open-source architecture. I aspire to learn new things further and contribute to the field of CS with my experience. Read Full Bio

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