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touch

file managementLinux/Unix
The touch command is one of the most frequently used commands in Linux/Unix-like operating systems. touch Change file timestamps or create empty files
See ExamplesView Syntax

Quick Reference

Command Name:

touch

Category:

file management

Platform:

Linux/Unix

Basic Usage:

touch filename.txt

Common Use Cases

    Syntax

    touch [OPTION]... FILE...

    Options

    Option Description
    -a Change only the access time
    -c, --no-create Do not create any files
    -d, --date=STRING Parse STRING and use it instead of current time
    -f (Ignored) Historic option for compatibility
    -h, --no-dereference Affect each symbolic link instead of any referenced file (useful only on systems that can change the timestamps of a symlink)
    -m Change only the modification time
    -r, --reference=FILE Use this file's times instead of current time
    -t STAMP Use [[CC]YY]MMDDhhmm[.ss] instead of current time
    --time=WORD Change the specified time: WORD is access, atime, or use (same as -a); WORD is modify or mtime (same as -m)
    --help Display help and exit
    --version Output version information and exit

    Examples

    How to Use These Examples

    The examples below show common ways to use the touch command. Try them in your terminal to see the results. You can copy any example by clicking on the code block.

    Basic Examples:

    Create a new empty file
    touch new_file.txt
    Create multiple files at once
    touch file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt
    Update the access and modification times of an existing file
    touch existing_file.txt

    Advanced Examples:

    Change only the access time
    touch -a file.txt
    Change only the modification time
    touch -m file.txt
    Set specific timestamp (format: [[CC]YY]MMDDhhmm[.ss])
    touch -t 202301010830.00 file.txt
    Use timestamp from reference file
    touch -r reference_file.txt target_file.txt
    Don't create new files if they don't exist
    touch -c nonexistent_file.txt
    Create empty files with specific permissions
    touch new_file.txt && chmod 644 new_file.txt
    Create files in multiple directories
    touch dir1/file.txt dir2/file.txt dir3/file.txt
    Use with find to update timestamps of multiple files
    find . -name "*.txt" -exec touch {} \;
    Create a file with timestamp from yesterday
    touch -d "yesterday" file.txt
    Create a file with specific date and time
    touch -d "2023-06-15 14:30:00" file.txt
    Use with wildcard to update all files of a certain type
    touch *.html
    Create a file that's one hour newer than a reference file
    touch -r reference_file.txt -d "+1 hour" target_file.txt

    Try It Yourself

    Practice makes perfect! The best way to learn is by trying these examples on your own system with real files.

    Understanding Syntax

    Pay attention to the syntax coloring: commands, options, and file paths are highlighted differently.

    Notes

    The `touch` command is a versatile utility in Unix and Linux systems primarily used for two purposes: creating empty files and updating file timestamps. Despite its simplicity, it has numerous practical applications in file management, scripting, and system administration. At its most basic, running `touch filename` will create an empty file if it doesn't exist, or update the access and modification timestamps to the current time if the file already exists. This behavior makes it one of the quickest ways to create empty files from the command line. Beyond creating files, `touch` is particularly useful for manipulating file timestamps. Every file in Unix/Linux has three timestamps: 1. **Access time (atime)**: When the file was last read or accessed 2. **Modification time (mtime)**: When the file's content was last modified 3. **Change time (ctime)**: When the file's metadata (permissions, ownership, etc.) was last changed The `touch` command can update the access and modification times, but not the change time directly (the change time will automatically update when you modify the other timestamps). Some common use cases for `touch` include: - Creating placeholder files for later use - Updating timestamps to trigger actions in systems that monitor file changes - Creating files with specific timestamps for testing or organizational purposes - Forcing file timestamp-based routines (like backup systems) to include specific files The command offers several options for fine-grained control: - Using `-a` or `-m` to change only the access or modification time respectively - Setting a specific timestamp with `-t` or `-d` - Using a reference file's timestamps with `-r` - Preventing the creation of new files with `-c` The `touch` command respects file permissions, so you need write permission to a file or its containing directory to update its timestamps. When creating new files, they will inherit the default permissions modified by your umask setting. While `touch` may seem like a simple utility, its ability to create files and manipulate timestamps makes it an essential tool for many system administration tasks and scripting operations.

    Related Commands

    These commands are frequently used alongside touch or serve similar purposes:

    mkdir
    chmod
    stat
    ls
    find
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    Use Cases

    Learn By Doing

    The best way to learn Linux commands is by practicing. Try out these examples in your terminal to build muscle memory and understand how the touch command works in different scenarios.

    See ExamplesTry Lab Exercises
    $ touch
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