Linux mv Command: Moving and Renaming Files Guide

The mv (move) command is used to move or rename files and directories in Linux. This guide covers all aspects of file movement and renaming operations.

Basic Syntax

mv [options] source destination

Common Options

• -i: Interactive mode (prompt before overwrite)
• -f: Force move without prompting
• -n: No clobber (don’t overwrite existing file)
• -u: Update (move only when source is newer)
• -v: Verbose mode (explain what’s being done)
• -b: Create backup of existing destination files

Real-World Examples

1. Basic File Moving

# Move file to directory
$ mv file.txt Documents/

# Move multiple files
$ mv file1.txt file2.txt Documents/

# Rename file
$ mv oldname.txt newname.txt

2. Directory Operations

# Move directory
$ mv source_dir/ destination_dir/

# Rename directory
$ mv old_directory/ new_directory/

# Move contents
$ mv source_dir/* destination_dir/

3. Safe Moving

# Interactive mode
$ mv -i important.txt backup/

# Create backup of destination
$ mv -b file.txt destination/

# Move only newer files
$ mv -u *.txt destination/

Common Use Cases

1. File Organization

   # Sort files by extension
   mv *.pdf documents/
   mv *.jpg images/
   mv *.mp3 music/
   

2. Backup Management

   # Create dated backup
   mv file.txt file.txt.$(date +%Y%m%d)
   
   # Archive old files
   mv -t archive/ $(find . -mtime +30)
   

3. Project Management

   # Reorganize project structure
   mv src/old-components/* src/components/
   mv config.* settings/
   

Tips and Tricks

1. Pattern Matching

   # Move multiple file types
   mv -t destination/ *.{jpg,png,gif}
   
   # Move files with specific prefix
   mv prefix* destination/
   

2. Safe Operations

   # Don't overwrite existing files
   mv -n source/* destination/
   
   # Create numbered backups
   mv --backup=numbered file.txt destination/
   

3. Bulk Operations

   # Move and rename multiple files
   for f in *.txt; do mv "$f" "${f%.txt}.bak"; done
   

Best Practices

1. Use Interactive Mode for Important Files

   mv -i critical_file.txt new_location/
   

2. Create Backups

   # Simple backup
   mv -b important.conf /etc/
   
   # Numbered backup
   mv --backup=numbered config.ini /etc/
   

3. Check Before Moving

   # List files first
   ls -l files_to_move*
   mv -v files_to_move* destination/
   

Common Errors and Solutions

1. Permission Denied

   # Solution: Use sudo
   sudo mv file.txt /etc/
   

2. Directory Not Empty

   # Solution: Merge directories
   mv -i source_dir/* dest_dir/
   rmdir source_dir
   

3. File Exists

   # Solution: Use -i or -n
   mv -i source.txt destination/
   

Related Commands

• cp: Copy files and directories
• rm: Remove files
• rsync: Advanced file copying/moving
• rename: Rename multiple files

Advanced Usage

1. Bulk Renaming

# Rename with pattern
for f in *.txt; do
    mv "$f" "${f%.txt}.md"
done

# Using rename command
rename 's/.txt$/.md/' *.txt

2. Moving with Conditions

# Move based on file size
find . -size +100M -exec mv {} large_files/ \;

# Move based on date
find . -mtime +30 -exec mv {} old_files/ \;

3. Safe Moving Script

#!/bin/bash
# Safe moving with verification
safe_move() {
    if [ -e "$2/$1" ]; then
        read -p "File exists. Overwrite? (y/n) " answer
        [ "$answer" = "y" ] || return 1
    fi
    mv -v "$1" "$2"
}

Special Use Cases

1. Moving Across Filesystems

# Check if on same filesystem
df -P source destination

# Use rsync for cross-filesystem moves
rsync -av --remove-source-files source/ destination/

2. Moving Large Directories

# Move with progress indication
rsync -av --progress --remove-source-files source/ destination/

3. Moving with Timestamps

# Move and append timestamp
for f in *; do
    mv "$f" "$f.$(date +%Y%m%d)"
done

Automation Examples

1. Auto-organizing Downloads

#!/bin/bash
cd ~/Downloads
mv *.pdf ~/Documents/PDFs/
mv *.{jpg,png,gif} ~/Pictures/
mv *.{mp3,wav} ~/Music/
mv *.{mp4,mkv} ~/Videos/

2. Project Cleanup

#!/bin/bash
# Move old logs to archive
find logs/ -name "*.log" -mtime +30 \
    -exec mv -t archive/ {} +

# Move backup files
find . -name "*.bak" \
    -exec mv -t backups/ {} +

Remember that mv is a powerful command that can both move and rename files. Always use it carefully, especially with wildcards, and consider using the -i option for important operations to prevent accidental overwrites.