Lessons · Terminal · making an empty file
Making an empty file
touch name creates an empty file if there is none, and only updates the modified time if there is one.
Hone is a place to practise programming. This is one of its lessons, written out in full and free to read without an account.
What it is for
You often need a file to exist before an editor, a script or a tool will accept it: a log, a config, a placeholder.
How to think about it
touch to create, ls to confirm, then fill it with an editor or with echo and a redirect.
Worked example
touch todo.txtAn empty file appears.
lstodo.txt.
wc -c < todo.txt0: no bytes in it yet.
Your turn
Create an empty notes.md.
notes.md
Try it at a real prompt
The trap
Expecting touch to open an editor. It does not; it only makes the file exist.
Practise making an empty file on HoneA question on it now, a coding challenge where there is one, and it is remembered for review. Free, no email needed.