copy-file

Copy a file, directory, or symlink to a reviewed destination.

When to use it

Use this node to preserve an original while producing a working copy or deliverable. For renaming without keeping the original, use move-file.

Example

Rattish: 1

Workflow:
  name: Copy a resource

Node step:
  type: copy-file
  source-path: notes/input.txt
  destination-path: reports/input-copy.txt
  overwrite: false
  finish: pass

Create the source before preflight, or give the node needs on the step that creates it. Missing destination parents are created by default, but an existing destination is not overwritten by default. The output describes source, destination, and resource kind rather than returning file content.

Review directory destinations carefully. Copying a directory is broader than copying one text file, and symlink behavior matters when a link points elsewhere.

Configuration

Configuration fields use hyphens. These are the node-specific fields; shared execution fields apply separately.

Field	Type	Required / default	Meaning
source-path	string	Required	Source resource path.
destination-path	string	Required	Destination resource path.
create-dirs	boolean	true	Allow creation of missing destination parents.
overwrite	boolean	false	Allow replacing an existing destination.

Inputs and output

This node has no declared input ports. Configure its authored fields directly.

Successful output fields use these exact selector names:

Field	Value type
source_path	string
destination_path	string
source_name	string
destination_name	string
destination_directory	string
path_kind	file, directory, symlink

For example, refer to node.step.output.source_path from a compatible downstream binding.

Preflight and limits

The source must be readable and the destination must meet its write policy. When the node has needs, preflight skips the existence check because an upstream step may create the source earlier in the run; the node then reports a missing source when it runs. Parent/child containment and resource-type checks prevent invalid transfers; ordinary filesystem access remains subject to OS permissions.

Use Raticode rattish check and Raticode rattish preflight before choosing to run the example. The installed contract is available through Raticode rattish docs --format json.

Continue with Node reference, Routes and joins, or Runs and approvals.