GitHub CLI | Take GitHub to the command line Skip to content CLI Copilot CLI Manual Release notes * Getting started * gh * agent-task * create * list * view * alias * delete * import * list * set * api * attestation * download * trusted-root * verify * auth * login * logout * refresh * setup-git * status * switch * token * browse * cache * delete * list * codespace * code * cp * create * delete * edit * jupyter * list * logs * ports * ports forward * ports visibility * rebuild * ssh * stop * view * completion * config * clear-cache * get * list * set * copilot * discussion * comment * create * edit * list * view * extension * browse * create * exec * install * list * remove * search * upgrade * gist * clone * create * delete * edit * list * rename * view * gpg-key * add * delete * list * help * environment * exit-codes * formatting * mintty * reference * telemetry * issue * close * comment * create * delete * develop * edit * list * lock * pin * reopen * status * transfer * unlock * unpin * view * label * clone * create * delete * edit * list * licenses * org * list * pr * checkout * checks * close * comment * create * diff * edit * list * lock * merge * ready * reopen * revert * review * status * unlock * update-branch * view * preview * prompter * project * close * copy * create * delete * edit * field-create * field-delete * field-list * item-add * item-archive * item-create * item-delete * item-edit * item-list * link * list * mark-template * unlink * view * release * create * delete-asset * delete * download * edit * list * upload * verify-asset * verify * view * repo * archive * autolink * autolink create * autolink delete * autolink list * autolink view * clone * create * delete * deploy-key * deploy-key add * deploy-key delete * deploy-key list * edit * fork * gitignore * gitignore list * gitignore view * license * license list * license view * list * read-dir * read-file * rename * set-default * sync * unarchive * view * ruleset * check * list * view * run * cancel * delete * download * list * rerun * view * watch * search * code * commits * issues * prs * repos * secret * delete * list * set * skill * install * list * preview * publish * search * update * ssh-key * add * delete * list * status * variable * delete * get * list * set * workflow * disable * enable * list * run * view CLI manual * Getting started * gh * agent-task * create * list * view * alias * delete * import * list * set * api * attestation * download * trusted-root * verify * auth * login * logout * refresh * setup-git * status * switch * token * browse * cache * delete * list * codespace * code * cp * create * delete * edit * jupyter * list * logs * ports * ports forward * ports visibility * rebuild * ssh * stop * view * completion * config * clear-cache * get * list * set * copilot * discussion * comment * create * edit * list * view * extension * browse * create * exec * install * list * remove * search * upgrade * gist * clone * create * delete * edit * list * rename * view * gpg-key * add * delete * list * help * environment * exit-codes * formatting * mintty * reference * telemetry * issue * close * comment * create * delete * develop * edit * list * lock * pin * reopen * status * transfer * unlock * unpin * view * label * clone * create * delete * edit * list * licenses * org * list * pr * checkout * checks * close * comment * create * diff * edit * list * lock * merge * ready * reopen * revert * review * status * unlock * update-branch * view * preview * prompter * project * close * copy * create * delete * edit * field-create * field-delete * field-list * item-add * item-archive * item-create * item-delete * item-edit * item-list * link * list * mark-template * unlink * view * release * create * delete-asset * delete * download * edit * list * upload * verify-asset * verify * view * repo * archive * autolink * autolink create * autolink delete * autolink list * autolink view * clone * create * delete * deploy-key * deploy-key add * deploy-key delete * deploy-key list * edit * fork * gitignore * gitignore list * gitignore view * license * license list * license view * list * read-dir * read-file * rename * set-default * sync * unarchive * view * ruleset * check * list * view * run * cancel * delete * download * list * rerun * view * watch * search * code * commits * issues * prs * repos * secret * delete * list * set * skill * install * list * preview * publish * search * update * ssh-key * add * delete * list * status * variable * delete * get * list * set * workflow * disable * enable * list * run * view gh codespace cp gh codespace cp [-e] [-r] [-- [<scp flags>...]] <sources>... <dest> The cp command copies files between the local and remote file systems. As with the UNIX cp command, the first argument specifies the source and the last specifies the destination; additional sources may be specified after the first, if the destination is a directory. The --recursive flag is required if any source is a directory. A remote: prefix on any file name argument indicates that it refers to the file system of the remote (Codespace) machine. It is resolved relative to the home directory of the remote user. By default, remote file names are interpreted literally. With the --expand flag, each such argument is treated in the manner of scp , as a Bash expression to be evaluated on the remote machine, subject to expansion of tildes, braces, globs, environment variables, and backticks. For security, do not use this flag with arguments provided by untrusted users; see https://lwn.net/Articles/835962/ for discussion. By default, the cp command will create a public/private ssh key pair to authenticate with the codespace inside the ~/.ssh directory . Options -c , --codespace <string> Name of the codespace -e , --expand Expand remote file names on remote shell -p , --profile <string> Name of the SSH profile to use -r , --recursive Recursively copy directories -R , --repo <string> Filter codespace selection by repository name (user/repo) --repo-owner <string> Filter codespace selection by repository owner (username or org) Examples $ gh codespace cp -e README.md 'remote:/workspaces/$RepositoryName/' $ gh codespace cp -e 'remote:~/*.go' ./gofiles/ $ gh codespace cp -e 'remote:/workspaces/myproj/go.{mod,sum}' ./gofiles/ $ gh codespace cp -e -- -F ~/.ssh/codespaces_config 'remote:~/*.go' ./gofiles/ See also * gh codespace Product * Features * Security * Enterprise * Customer stories * Pricing * Resources Platform * Developer API * Partners * GitHub Desktop * GitHub Mobile Support * Help * Community Forum * Expert Services * Status * Contact GitHub Company * About * Blog * Careers * Press * Shop * (c) 2026 GitHub, Inc. * Terms * Privacy * Telemetry * * * * *