File Backup
Create a timestamped backup copy of any file with a single command.
Usage
cp <FILE_PATH> <FILE_PATH>.bak.$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)
Arguments:
| # | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FILE_PATH | Path to the file to back up |
Example
cp /home/user/config.yaml /home/user/config.yaml.bak.$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)
Output:
(no output on success)
The backup file is created as: ORIGINAL_NAME.bak.YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS
Example: config.yaml → config.yaml.bak.20260328_143022
Success / Failure
- Success: No output, exit code 0. Backup file created in same directory.
- Failure: Error message from
cp(exit code non-zero, e.g. file not found)
Verify Backup
To confirm the backup was created:
ls -la <FILE_PATH>.bak.*