![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/11\/Linux-cheat-sheet-1024x283.png\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>
SCP Command Syntax<\/h2>
The basic SCP syntax for transferring a file between two different remote servers is as follows:<\/p>
scp [options] [source username@IP]:\/[directory and file name] [destination username@IP]:\/[destination directory]<\/pre>Here’s the command breakdown:<\/p>
- \n
- [options]<\/strong> ‒ modifiers to alter the SCP command’s behavior.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- [source username@IP]<\/strong> ‒ the source system’s username and IP address.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- :\/<\/strong> – the system address and directory path separator.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- [directory and file name]<\/strong> ‒ the file’s location and name.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- [destination username@IP]<\/strong> ‒ the destination system’s user account and IP address.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- [destination directory]<\/strong> ‒ the transferred files’ target directory.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
Here’s an example of an SCP command for copying files between two remote systems:<\/p>
scp root@162.168.1.1:\/media\/scp.png hostinger@162.168.1.2:\/desktop\/destination<\/pre>
Ensure to enable root<\/strong> access on the remote machine. If you use another account, check whether it has the write <\/strong>permission for the target folder. Otherwise, you can only transfer files to the user’s home directory.<\/p>
If you’re copying to or from a local host, omit the IP address and the path like \/desktop\/folder_name<\/strong>. The command will look as follows:<\/p>
scp scp.png hostinger@162.168.1.2:\/desktop\/destination<\/pre>
How to Copy Files Using the SCP Command<\/h2>
The following sections will explore some SCP practical usage examples for transferring files between different systems.<\/p>
\n\n\n
\n Warning!<\/strong> Be careful when using SCP commands since you may overwrite files and directories with the same name. <\/p>\n \n\n\n\n<\/p>
Using SCP Command with Hostinger VPS<\/h3>
You must access the source machine’s bash shell to run the SCP command. For a remote server like a VPS, connect via SSH using PuTTY<\/a> or your computer’s Terminal.<\/p>
If you use Hostinger’s VPS hosting<\/a>, utilize the Browser terminal <\/strong>feature in the server overview menu of the Members Area<\/strong>. It lets you connect and run commands on a remote server directly via a web browser, making the task more efficient.<\/p>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/02\/VPS-hosting-banner-1024x300.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>Moreover, our Browser terminal uses the VNC protocol to access the remote server, letting you run SSH commands<\/a> like SCP even when the target system closes the connection port.<\/p>
Kodee<\/strong>, Hostinger’s AI assistant, is accessible from the server overview menu. This feature lets you use simple prompts to generate ready-to-use SCP commands based on your needs, improving management efficiency.<\/p>
For example, you can input “Generate the SCP command to transfer the config.yaml<\/strong> file from my current server’s \/web_app\/configuration<\/strong> path to the \/live_app\/config<\/strong> remote directory in my VPS. The destination server’s username is root<\/strong>, and its IP address is 168.162.1.2<\/strong>.”<\/p>
Kodee will output the complete command, which you can copy and paste into the Browser terminal, like the following:<\/p>
\n![\"Kodee](\"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/scp-command-generated-by-kodee-1024x502.png\")
- [source username@IP]<\/strong> ‒ the source system’s username and IP address.<\/li>\n\n\n\n