install

Install binaries.
The file(s) are copied to the target file or directory. If the destination is a directory, then the file is copied into directory with its original filename. If the target file already exists, it is either renamed to file.old if the -b option is given or overwritten if permissions allow. An alternate backup suffix may be specified via the -B option’s argument.

Syntax
     install [-bCcMpSsv] [-B suffix] [-f flags]
                [-g group] [-m mode]
             [-o owner] Sourcefile1 Destinationfile2

     install [-bCcMpSsv] [-B suffix] [-f flags]
                [-g group] [-m mode]
             [-o owner] file1 ... fileN directory

     install -d [-v] [-g group] [-m mode]
                [-o owner] directory ...

The 3 variants above install either a single SOURCE file to DEST target
or copy multiple SOURCE files to the destination. In the last variant,
each DIRECTORY (and any missing parent directories) is created.

Options
   -b       Back up any existing files before overwriting them by renaming
            them to file.old.  See -B for specifying a different backup suffix.

   -B suffix
            Use suffix as the backup suffix if -b is given.

   -C       Copy the file.  If the target file already exists and the files are
            the same, then don’t change the modification time of the target.

   -c       Copy the file.  This is actually the default. The -c option is only
            included for backwards compatibility.

   -d       Create directories.  Missing parent directories are created as required.

   -f       Specify the target’s file flags; see chflags(1) for a list of possible
            flags and their meanings.

   -g       Specify a group.  A numeric GID is allowed.

   -M       Disable all use of mmap(2).

   -m       Specify an alternate mode. The default mode is set to rwxr-xr-x
            (0755).  The specified mode can be either an octal or symbolic
            value; see chmod(1) for a description of possible mode values.

   -o       Specify an owner. A numeric UID is allowed.

   -p       Preserve the modification time.  Copy the file, as if the -C
            (compare and copy) option is specified, except if the target file
            doesn’t already exist or is different, then preserve the modification
            time of the file.

   -S       Safe copy. Normally, install unlinks an existing target before
            installing the new file.  With the -S flag a temporary file is
            used and then renamed to be the target.  The reason this is safer
            is that if the copy or rename fails, the existing target is left
            untouched.

   -s       install exec’s the command strip(1) to strip binaries so that
            install can be portable over a large number of systems and binary
            types.

   -v       Causes install to show when -C actually installs something.

By default, install preserves all file flags, with the exception of the 'nodump' flag.

The install utility attempts to prevent moving a file onto itself. Installing /dev/null creates an empty file.

“SysAdmins can’t be sued for malpractice but surgeons don’t have to deal with patients who install new versions of their own innards”

Related macOS commands

Local man page: install - Command line help page on your local machine.
chflags - Change a file or folder’s flags.
chgrp - Change group ownership.
chmod - Change access permissions.
cp - Copy one or more files to another location.
installer - System software and .pkg package installer tool.
mv - Move or rename files or directories.
strip(1), mmap(2),
chown - Change file owner and group.
Create a bootable MacOS drive


 
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