Java copying file with Files.copy() API

Java 7 introduced the Files.copy() method, which provides an easy way of copying a file. The copy fails if the target file exists, unless the REPLACE_EXISTING option is specified. Files.copy() takes an optional third copy options argument.

The options parameter may include any of the following:

• REPLACE_EXISTING - if the target file exists, then the target file is replaced if it is not a non-empty directory.
• COPY_ATTRIBUTES - attempts to copy the file attributes associated with this file to the target file.
• ATOMIC_MOVE - moves the file.
• NOFOLLOW_LINKS - symbolic links are not followed.

The first three options are available in StandarCopyOption; the last one in LinkOption.

Java copying file with Files.copy() API

The example copies a file with Files.copy(). It replaces the destination if it already exists.

import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.nio.file.Files;
import java.nio.file.StandardCopyOption;

public class CopyFileJava7 {

    public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {

        File source = new File("src/resources/bugs.txt");
        File dest = new File("src/resources/bugs2.txt");

        Files.copy(source.toPath(), dest.toPath(), StandardCopyOption.REPLACE_EXISTING);
    }
}