---
layout: page
category-page: basic
category-title: Basic commands
author: Joy Albertini
tags: directory path mv file
title: mv
previous-page: pages/cmd/basic/11-chown.html
---

<p>The <code>mv</code>  move a file from a directory to another:
  Device-name:Current-position username$ mv path/name-file path2
You can verify the success of the operation by using the command ls with argument the path. <br>
With mv you can rename a file: Device-name:Current-position username$ mv path/name-file mv path/newname-file
</p>

<pre>
  mv /home/user/desktop/file.txt /home/user/desktop/subfolder1/
</pre>

<ul>
  <li><code>-i</code> Prompt(request confirm) before overwriting the file (Overrides previous -f or -n options, and override file permission) <br>
  Example: mv -i name1.txt name2.txt, shell will ask overwrite 'name2.txt'? respond with Y(yes) or N(no)</li>
  <li><code>-n</code> Don't permit to overwrite existing file <br>
  Example: desktop as working directory there is a file called name2.txt, mv -n name5.txt name2.tx, with the flag -n you can't overwrite the file. </li>
  <li><code>-v</code> (verbose) will output information explaining what it's doing <br>
  Example: mv-v name1.txt name2.txt, the shell will output the operation: 'name1.txt' -to 'name2.txt'. </li>
  <li><code>-f</code> (Force) force overwriting without prompting (overrides previous -i or -n options).<br>
  Example: desktop as working directory there is a file called name2.txt, mv-f name1.txt name2.txt will overwrite the file without prompting</li>
</ul>