---
name: "install"
section: "1"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/install"
---

# install(1)

install binaries

## NAME

**install** – install binaries

## SYNOPSIS

**install** \[**-bCcDdFpSs**\] \[**-B** *suffix*\] \[**-f** *flags*\] \[**-g** *group*\] \[**-m** *mode*\] \[**-o** *owner*\] *source* *...* *target* *...*

## DESCRIPTION

The *source* file(s) are copied to the *target* file or directory. 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. If the **-d** option is given, *target* directories are created, and no files are copied.

The options are as follows:

- **-B** *suffix*

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

- **-b**

  Backup any existing files before overwriting them by renaming them to *file.old*. See **-B** for specifying a different backup suffix.

- **-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 all leading components of the target before installing into it.

- **-d**

  Create directories. Missing parent directories are created as required. This option cannot be used with the **-B**, **-b**, **-C**, **-c**, **-f**, **-p**, or **-s** options.

- **-F**

  Flush the file's contents to disk. When copying a file, use the [fsync(2)](/fsync/2.md) function to synchronize the installed file's contents with the on-disk version.

- **-f** *flags*

  Specify the target's file *flags*. (See [chflags(1)](/chflags/1.md) for a list of possible flags and their meanings.)

- **-g** *group*

  Specify a *group*. A numeric GID is allowed.

- **-m** *mode*

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

- **-o** *owner*

  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. This option has no effect and is supported only for compatibility. When installing a file, a temporary file is created and written first in the destination directory, then atomically renamed. This avoids both race conditions and the destruction of existing files in case of write failures.

- **-s**

  Attempt to strip the file of unnecessary sections and symbols. This executes the command */usr/bin/strip* using the **-o** option to produce the output file, and if that fails copies the file in the regular way. If the environment variable STRIP is set, it is used instead.

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.

## ENVIRONMENT

- STRIP

  For an alternate [strip(1)](/strip/1.md) program to run, which must support the **-o** option. Default is */usr/bin/strip*.

## FILES

- *INS@XXXXXXXXXX*

  Temporary files created in the target directory by [mkstemp(3)](/mkstemp/3.md).

## EXIT STATUS

The **install** utility exits 0 on success, and \>0 if an error occurs.

## SEE ALSO

[chflags(1)](/chflags/1.md), [chgrp(1)](/chgrp/1.md), [chmod(1)](/chmod/1.md), [cp(1)](/cp/1.md), [mv(1)](/mv/1.md), [strip(1)](/strip/1.md), [chown(8)](/chown/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **install** utility appeared in 4.2BSD.

## CAVEATS

The **-C**, **-D**, **-F**, **-p**, and **-S** flags are non-standard and should not be relied upon for portability.

Temporary files may be left in the target directory if **install** exits abnormally.