By Shell How Copy Files And Directory

I found that with unix's shell is possible copy all the content of a folder to oneother; I see the manual and found the command cp;

but there are many parameters;

which is that good?

I would like to replicate all that I have inner a folder to oneother;

so at the finish they must to hawe the identically content;

but I see, that some parameters can change symlink etc...
I want one clone exactly .

the originally folder have at inner directory,subdirectory, files htaccess etc..