What does the 'cp -R' command specifically indicate?

The command 'cp -R' is used in Linux to copy files and directories recursively. When the '-R' option is specified, it tells the cp command to not only copy the specified files but also to continue copying any directories contained within those files, along with their contents. This means that the structure of directories is preserved in the new location, and all nested files and subdirectories are included in the copy operation.

This capability is particularly useful when you want to duplicate an entire directory tree or a folder with multiple levels of subdirectories. The command ensures that the entire data structure is preserved, allowing for a complete and accurate replication of the source directory in the destination location.