touch

I'm a developer who regularly switches with multiple operating systems but in Windows, I seem to be missing a command. There are touch commands to create an empty file.

Use this NodeJs based CLI tool and use the touch command in your windows pc.

touch index.js # Created an empty file with name index.js

The primary task of the touch command is to modify the timestamp of a file or directory. But it is also used to create an empty file if the file already does not exist.

The basic syntax of the touch command

The fundamental syntax of the touch command is

touch <options> <file or directory name>

The touch utility is used to modify the timestamp of a file or directory.

The touch command options

Option	Description
-a	Modify the access time.
--no-create, -c	Avoid to create new file.
--date=, -d=	Modifies the timestamp using a date string.
-f	Change BSD options forcefully.
--no-deference, -h	Changes a symbolic link's timestamp.
-m	Modify the modification, timestamp of the file.
--reference=, -r=	Change a timestamp to the refernced file's timestamp.
-t	Modifies the timestamp, where the stamp is the date/time format.
--help	Open the help menu.
--version, -v	Displays the version information.

Create a new file

The touch command can be used to create a new file.

Prototype

touch <filename>

Example

touch index.js

Create multiple files

The touch command can be used to create multiple files.

Prototype

touch <filename> <filename> <filename>

Example

touch index.js index.html index.css

Also provide range to create multiple files.

Prototype

touch <filename{<start>..<end>}>

Example

touch test{1..5}

Create 5 files with name test1, test2, test3, test4, test5.

Another way to create multiple files is to use the alphabatical range.

Example

touch test_{a..d}

Create 4 files with name test_a, test_b, test_c, test_d.