Command: mv - move or rename a file Syntax: mv [-ifsmvx] file1 file2 mv [-ifsvx] file ... directory Flags: -i Prompt before removing existing files -f Do not prompt before removing existing files -s Do not clear any mode bits if owner can't be set -m Merge directory trees -v Tell what mv is doing -x Do not cross device boundaries Examples: mv oldname newname # Move oldname to newname mv file1 file2 /user/ast # Move two files to /user/ast Mv moves one or more files from one place in the file system to another. If the old path and new path are on the same device, it is done by renaming otherwise by copying. If you're not superuser, the copy will destroy the file's owner, group and setuid/setgid bits. mv will prompt before removing non-writable files if stdin is a terminal or the -i flag was specified.