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Synopsis

Copies a specific version of an artifact package from one registry to another within your Harness account. 
hc artifact copy <source-path> <destination-registry> [flags]

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Arguments

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source-path
string
required
Source package path in format: <SRC_REGISTRY>/<PACKAGE_NAME>/<VERSION>
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destination-registry
string
required
Target registry identifier where the package will be copied

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Options

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--artifact-type
string
Artifact type (e.g., model or dataset). Required for certain registries like Hugging Face.

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Source Path Format

The source path must follow this structure: 
<SRC_REGISTRY>/<PACKAGE_NAME>/<VERSION>
Components:
  • SRC_REGISTRY - Source registry identifier
  • PACKAGE_NAME - Full artifact path (can include nested paths)
  • VERSION - Specific version to copy

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Examples

hc artifact copy docker-prod/nginx/1.21.0 docker-staging

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Operation Flow

The copy operation performs the following steps:
  1. Validates input parameters - Checks format and required fields
  2. Parses source path - Extracts registry, artifact, and version
  3. Initiates copy - Requests server-side copy operation
  4. Returns result - Confirms successful copy
Validating input parameters... ✓
Input parameters validated
copying package from docker-prod/nginx/1.21.0 to docker-staging... ✓
Successfully Copied package from docker-prod/nginx/1.21.0 to docker-staging

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Important Notes

Server-side operation - The copy happens entirely on the server. No data is transferred through your client.
Same account only - You can only copy artifacts between registries in the same Harness account.
Version-specific - The copy command copies a specific version, not all versions of an artifact.

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Validation Rules

The command validates:
  • Source path has exactly 3 components (registry/artifact/version)
  • Registry identifier is not empty
  • Artifact path is not empty
  • Version is not empty
  • Target registry identifier is provided
  • Account identifier is configured

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Error Handling

Error: invalid format: expected '<SRC_REGISTRY>/<ARTIFACT_PATH>/<VERSION>'
Ensure your source path has all three required components separated by slashes.
Error: failed to copy package: 404 Not Found
Verify the source registry, package name, and version exist using hc artifact get.
Error: failed to copy package: 404 Not Found
response: {"message": "registry not found"}
Verify the destination registry exists using hc registry list.
Error: failed to copy package: 403 Forbidden
Ensure you have write permissions on the destination registry.
Error: artifact_type is required for this registry type
Add the --artifact-type flag for registries that require it (e.g., Hugging Face).

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Use Cases

# Copy from dev to staging
hc artifact copy docker-dev/myapp/1.2.3 docker-staging

# Copy from staging to production
hc artifact copy docker-staging/myapp/1.2.3 docker-prod
Promote validated artifacts through deployment environments.
hc artifact copy primary-registry/critical-app/2.0.0 backup-registry
Copy important artifacts to a backup registry for disaster recovery.
# Copy all versions one by one
hc artifact copy old-registry/myapp/1.0.0 new-registry
hc artifact copy old-registry/myapp/1.1.0 new-registry
hc artifact copy old-registry/myapp/2.0.0 new-registry
Migrate artifacts when reorganizing your registry structure.
hc artifact copy team-a-registry/shared-lib/1.0.0 team-b-registry
Copy artifacts to make them available to different teams.

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Tips for Complex Package Names

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Handling Nested Paths

Package names can include multiple path segments: 
# Source path parsing:
# registry/org/team/app/1.0.0
#   ↓       ↓
# registry = "registry"
# artifact = "org/team/app"
# version = "1.0.0"

hc artifact copy registry/org/team/app/1.0.0 dest-registry

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Scoped NPM Packages

hc artifact copy npm-registry/@myorg/my-package/1.0.0 npm-backup

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Maven Coordinates

hc artifact copy maven-registry/com/example/myapp/1.0.0 maven-backup

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Verification

After copying, verify the artifact exists in the destination: 
# List artifacts in destination registry
hc artifact list --registry dest-registry

# Get specific artifact details
hc artifact get my-package --registry dest-registry

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See Also

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