How to Create a File in Linux Commandline
Table of Content
1. Creating file using the `cat` command in Linux
2. Creating file using the ` touch` command in Linux
3. Creating File using ` vi` or `vim` command in Linux
4. Creating file using ` nano` command in Linux
5. Creating a file using ` gedit` command in Linux
6. Using `mv` command to Create File in Linux
7. Creating file using ` printf` command in Linux
1. Creating file using the `cat` command in Linux
It is the most universal command/tool for creating files on Linux systems. We cannot edit a file
using the cat command. Major operations that can be done using it are as follows:
To create files and write the data into them.
cat >file1
This command creates a new file file1 (in write mode) if it doesn’t exist in the present working
directory. If any file with file name file1 exists in the current directory, it is overwritten.
Note: After writing the text into the file, press ctrl+d to save and exit from the writing mode
cat >file1
To view the contents of a file using cat command
cat file1
This command simply prints the contents of file1 on the terminal screen.
cat file1
2. Creating files using the `touch` command in Linux
We can create an empty file (or multiple empty files) using touch command in Linux. But its
main purpose is to change or update the time-stamp of a file. Major operations that can be done
using it are as follows:
Creating a file using touch in Linux
touch file2
Use `ls` command to list files in the current directory and use `cat` command to see the content
inside a file.
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Creating multiple files at same time using `touch` command in Linux
touch file_1 file_2 file_3 file_4
How to display timestamp of files in Linux
ls -l
How to change timestamp of a file in Linux
For example: If we want to change the timestamp of a file_name `file_1`. We use command as
follows:
touch file_1
Using `ls -l` command to display timestamp of files.
3. Creating File using `vi` or `vim` command in Linux
Its main function is to edit files. It is commonly used by programmers to edit the textual
content of any file on vi text editor. Major operations that can be done using it are as follows:
Note: To save and exit from the vi-text editor, press the Escape key and then type :wq and hit
enter.
Creating a file using vi in Linux
vi file_1
This command creates a new file file_1 and opens it on the vi-text editor if it doesn’t exist in
the present working directory. If a file with the file name file_1 exists in the current directory,
then this command just opens the file on the vi-text editor.
Use `ls` command to list files in the current directory and use `cat` command to see the content
inside a file.
4.Creating file using `nano` command in Linux
It may/may not be found in all distributions of LINUX. We can create as well as edit files.
Note: To safe a file in nano Text editor, press ctrl+O and to exit nano Text Editor press ctrl +
x.
nano file_1
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Used `ls` command to list files in the current directory and used `cat` command to see the
content inside a file.
5. Creating a file using `gedit` command in Linux
Linux’s users normally use the command line interface (CLI) for writing or editing the text
files. But if we want to edit a text file graphically on Linux machines without learning about
the powerful editors like vim and nano then gedit text editor makes it easier for us.
“gedit” stands for GNOME text editor, it’s a standard default text editor found in any system
with a GNOME desktop environment including Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, CentOS, and Red
Hat. Using gedit we can create as well as write/edit the text files.
Create a file.
gedit file_2
This command creates a new file file_2 (in write mode) on the gedit text editor if it doesn’t
exist in the present working directory. If any file with file name file_2 exists in the current
directory, then it is opened (in edit mode) on the gedit text editor.
Note: To use the terminal again, press ctrl + c.
Open and edit the file.
As we create or edit a file using gedit command, by default the file gets open on the gedit text
editor and wait for it to close before it returns you to the terminal prompt. If you want to use
the terminal window while the gedit text editor is open, launch gedit with the following
command instead.
gedit file_2 &
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This command creates a new file file_2 (in write mode) on the gedit text editor if it doesn’t
exist in the present working directory. If any file with file name file_2 exists in the current
directory, then it is opened (in edit mode) on the gedit text editor.
Note: To use the terminal again, press ctrl + c.
6. Using `mv` command to Create File in Linux
We normally use mv command to move the files or directories from one place to another in
Linux systems. But we can also use it to create new files with the contents of some other file
on the system.
mv file_2 file_3
This command crafts a new file named file_3 in the present working directory, incorporating
the contents of file_2. If file_3 doesn’t already exist, it is created. However, if a file with the
name file_3 is present in the current directory, its contents are replaced with those of file_2.
Importantly, it’s crucial to note that this command essentially involves copying the content of
file_2 to file_3 and subsequently deleting file_2.
mv command
Note: This command copies the content of file_2 to file_3 and deletes file_2.
7. Creating file using `printf` command in Linux
The printf command can be used to create a file with formatted text. To create a file using the
printf command.
Open the terminal and type the following command:
printf "txt_we_want"> File_name
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Example:
If we want to write “hello connections” and want to create a file_name “file_1”
printf "hello connections"> file_1
printf “hello connections”> file_1
Used `ls` command to list files in the current directory and used `cat` command to see the
content inside a file.
Using touch and cat commands to create well formatted file content
Example
touch universities.txt
cat > universities.txt <<_EoF_
>Jooust Siaya
>MMUST Kakamega
>Kibabii Bungoma
>Alupe Busia
>Maseno Kisumu
>_EoF_
Output:
Jooust
MMUST
Kibabii
Alupe
Maseno
To number the multi-text lines, we use cat –n file2.txt as shown in the example below:
cat > file2.txt <<_EoF_
>Jooust
>MMUST
>Kibabii
>Alupe
>Maseno
>_EoF_
Output:
1. Jooust
2. MMUST
3. Kibabii
4. Alupe
5. Maseno
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Useful Link(s)
https://www.geeks.org/man-command-in-linux-with-examples
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