mv command in Linux/Unix

mv command is an application used to move files and directories in a Unix environment.

mv command syntax

$ mv [options] source dest

Also can be seen using manual command:

$ man mv

option	description
mv -f	force move by overwriting destination file without prompt
mv -i	interactive prompt before overwrite
mv -u	update – move when source is newer than destination
mv -v	verbose – print source and destination files
man mv	help manual

Move two files test1.txt secondfile.txt files to /home/designcoder/ directory:

$ mv test1.txt secondfile.txt /home/designcoder/

Move all TXT files in current directory to subdirectory backup :

$ mv *.txt backup

Move all files in subdirectory backup to current directory :

$ mv backup/* .

Rename file test1.txt to main.bak:

$ mv test1.txt hello.bak

Rename directory backup to backuptest:

$ mv backup backkuptest

Update – move when test1,txt is newer:

$ mv -u test1.txt backup

Move main.c and prompt before overwrite backup/test1.txt:

$ mv -v test1.txt backup
'test1.txt' -> 'backup/test1.txt'