Skip to content

mkdir.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
118 lines (93 loc) · 3.66 KB

mkdir.md

File metadata and controls

118 lines (93 loc) · 3.66 KB

mkdir

"Make new directory"

The mkdir command makes directories (folders). It's like creating a new folder in your file manager, but from the command line. You can make one folder or a whole bunch at once.

Name

mkdir - make directories

Mnemonic

mkdir stands for make directory.

Syntax & Common Usage

You'll typically use the mkdir command with directory names and paths similar to how you navigate your filesystem.

For example:

mkdir [options] [directory_name]

Examples

Create a single directory

The most basic use - just make one new folder in your current location.

mkdir my_folder

<REPLACE_WITH_IMAGE_OR_GIF>

Create multiple directories at once

Instead of running mkdir three times, you can create several folders in one command by listing them with spaces.

mkdir folder1 folder2 folder3

<REPLACE_WITH_IMAGE_OR_GIF>

Create a directory with a full path

Create a folder somewhere else on your system by specifying the complete path to where you want it.

mkdir ~/Documents/new_project

<REPLACE_WITH_IMAGE_OR_GIF>

Create nested directories with -p

This is the magic option! The -p flag creates "parent" directories - meaning if you want to create folder1/folder2/folder3 but folder1 and folder2 don't exist yet, it'll create them all for you.

mkdir -p projects/web/frontend

<REPLACE_WITH_IMAGE_OR_GIF>

Create complex nested structures

You can create entire directory trees in one command. This creates the app folder, then src and assets inside it, then css and js inside src.

mkdir -p app/src/{css,js} app/assets

<REPLACE_WITH_IMAGE_OR_GIF>

Create nested directories from home

Combine the -p option with paths from your home directory to build folder structures anywhere.

mkdir -p ~/Documents/projects/website/images

<REPLACE_WITH_IMAGE_OR_GIF>

What happens without -p?

If you try to create nested directories without -p, mkdir will complain that the parent directories don't exist. That's when you know you need the -p flag!

mkdir folder1/folder2/folder3
# This fails! Use mkdir -p instead

<REPLACE_WITH_IMAGE_OR_GIF>

Command Quick Reference

Command What It Does Example
mkdir folder Create single directory mkdir documents
mkdir folder1 folder2 Create multiple directories mkdir photos videos music
mkdir ~/path/folder Create directory at specific path mkdir ~/Desktop/new_project
mkdir -p path/to/folder Create nested directories mkdir -p projects/app/src
mkdir -p {dir1,dir2}/sub Create multiple nested structures mkdir -p {web,mobile}/assets

Tips

When to Use -p

Use -p whenever you want to create a folder inside another folder that might not exist yet. It's like saying "create this path, and if any parent folders are missing, create those too."

Understanding the Error Without -p

mkdir folder1/folder2
# Error: mkdir: folder1: No such file or directory

This error means folder1 doesn't exist, so mkdir can't create folder2 inside it. Add -p to fix this!

Creating Directory Trees

The curly brace syntax {dir1,dir2} is super handy for creating multiple similar structures:

mkdir -p project/{frontend,backend}/{src,tests}

This creates:

  • project/frontend/src
  • project/frontend/tests
  • project/backend/src
  • project/backend/tests

Handling Spaces in Directory Names

If your directory name has spaces, wrap it in quotes:

mkdir "My New Project"
mkdir -p "Documents/My Projects/Website Files"