014-the-mkdir-command.md

The mkdir command

The mkdir command in Linux/Unix is used to create a directory.

Syntax

$ mkdir [-m=mode] [-p] [-v] [-Z=context] directory [directory ...]

Examples

1. Make a directory named myfiles.

$ mkdir myfiles

2. Create a directory named myfiles at the home directory:

$ mkdir ~/myfiles

3. Create the mydir directory, and set its file mode (-m) so that all users (a) may read (r), write (w), and execute (x) it.

$ mkdir -m a=rwx mydir

You can also create sub-directories of a directory. It will create the parent directory first, if it doesn't exist. If it already exists, then it move further to create the sub-directories without any error message.

For directories, this means that any user on the system may view ("read"), and create/modify/delete ("write") files in the directory. Any user may also change to ("execute") the directory, for example with the cd command.

4. Create the directory /home/test/src/python. If any of the parent directories /home, /home/test, or /home/test/src do not already exist, they are automatically created.

$ mkdir -p /home/test/src/python

Options

Short Flags	Long Flags	Descriptions
-m	--mode=MODE	Set file mode (as in chmod), not a=rwx - umask.
-p	--parents	No error if existing, make parent directories as needed.
-v	--verbose	Print a message for each created directory.
-Z	--context=CTX	Set the SELinux security context of each created directory to CTX.
-	--help	Display a help message and exit.
-	--version	Output version information and exit.