Anyone who uses Linux frequently needs to have the ability to create new files. Either the desktop file manager or the command line can be used to create new files. In this piece, we’ll go through the lessons of how to create and open a file in Linux terminal.
How to Create a File in Linux Terminal
In a system built on Linux, a file serves as a container for information storage. Linux organizes all of its data into files and treats everything as a file. Then, directories are created for the files. In addition, the folders are arranged into a system of trees known as the filesystem. Along with file creation, text files, file images, file details, compiled programs, directories, partitions, and hardware device drivers are all incorporated into the definition of a file. From the Linux Command Line or Terminal, there are also a few easy ways to generate a text file. Below are a few of them.
#1. Touch Command
The most common command to quickly create a blank text file is this one. Multiple text files can be created at once thanks to the command’s simple typing.
It’s that easy to create an empty text file inside of a terminal; simply write the word “touch” followed by the name of the file you want to give it. With a space between each filename, you can add all the file names you want to generate at once. Using the touch command, the following command generates three empty files at once; you can make as many files as you’d like.
#2. Standard Redirect Symbol (>)
It is simple and requires little effort to create a text file in the terminal. When quickly producing a single text file, it functions effectively. The process might get tiresome, though, if you need to create numerous text files at once. The usual redirection symbol (>), a space, and the requested file name are used in the command. The redirect symbol can be added after the previous filename to produce numerous empty text files at once. To do this, chain the command several times.
file.txt > file2.txt > file3.txt
The command shown above generates three empty text files. If you only need to write a single text file, the redirect symbol might save you quite a bit of time. In comparison to the touch command, creating several empty text files takes a lot longer.
#3. CAT Command
This approach is quite straightforward and user-friendly. You only need to put “CAT,” then the appropriate file name and two redirect symbols (>>) to create a new text file using this technique. The >> symbols are optional; however, you can alternatively use a single > symbol instead. However, if the text file already exists, care must be taken while employing a single > symbol since it may unintentionally erase the content. The touch symbol command and the redirect symbol command are both combined in this technique.
It is a distinctive method that works best when making blank, unmodified files. This approach is really effective if you’d rather generate and type directly into the text file. It saves you time and provides a simple command by eliminating the need to launch a second editor.
#4. Using Echo or Printf
Text is frequently displayed on the terminal by using the echo command, which is comparable to the cat command but more flexible. Its capabilities go beyond that, though, as it may also be used to create empty files or write information to existing ones. The desired filename is followed by the echo command, two redirect symbols (a single “>” may also be used), and the appropriate redirect symbol.
#5. Any Command-Line Text Editor (Vim, nano)
Although it takes the longest and isn’t the fastest, this method can be helpful for Linux newcomers. Use command-line text editors like Vim, nano, and other choices if you want to extensively edit a text file. However, because nano is quick and easy to use, the majority of people utilize it. As with the earlier techniques, you can chain the command to generate numerous files simultaneously.
The aforementioned command can be highly configurable because it takes advantage of the echo command’s characteristics to write the text into the file in a variety of ways, but it can also be irksome to use a new line character each time.
How to Open a File in Linux
It’s important to note that Linux has a range of text editors and file managers that can be used to open and modify files before moving on. Using various commands to open files is possible using Linux’s command-line interface. We’ll go through three distinct methods for quickly opening and viewing files on Linux.
Opening a Linux file using a Text Editor
To edit text files, Linux also offers a variety of text editors. Linux users frequently use the text editors Nano, Vim, and Emacs. The steps listed below can be used to open a file in a text editor:
- Step 1: In the terminal, type the text editor’s name to start it. For instance, type “vim” in the terminal and press Enter to start Vim.
- Step 2: Use the text editor’s file navigation commands to scroll down to the file’s storage location.
- Step 3: Type the filename and hit Enter to open the document.
Opening A Linux File Using A File Manager
To navigate and handle various file types, Linux offers a variety of file managers. Linux users frequently use Nautilus, Thunar, and PCManFM as file managers. The steps listed below can be used to open a file using a file manager:
- Step 1: Click the File Manager icon in the Application menu to launch the file manager.
- Step 2: Navigate to where the source file is already located (the file path).
- Step 3: To open the file, click on it. The default text editor will be used to open the file if it is a text file.
Opening A Linux File Using Command Line Interface
A command-line interface is offered by Linux and can be used to open files using different commands. Other common file extensions are also supported by the program. The following file commands are helpful for opening files from the terminal:
#1. The Cat Command
It is possible to also concatenate, display, and create files on the terminal with the cat command in Linux. Without actually opening the file in a text editor or file manager, the contents of a whole file may frequently be seen on the terminal window with the cat command.
#2. The Less Command
In Linux, you can see a file’s contents one page at a time using the less command.
#3. The Head Command
In Linux, you can by default view the first few lines of a file with the head command. When you want to rapidly see the contents of a file without having to open the previous file entirely, you frequently use the head command.
#4. The Tail Command
You may read the final few lines of the default file using the tail command on Linux. When you want to keep track of the end of a log file or another continually updating target file type, you frequently utilize the tail command.
#5. The More Command
Another important tool in Linux for opening files is the more command. You may browse through the current file and simply read its contents because it lets you view the material of a file one screen at a time.
#6. nl Command
The nl command in Linux is also utilized to add line numbers to a file. The only difference between using this command and using cat is that nl has line numbers enabled by default.
How to Create a File in Linux Using C?
The following syntax is used to create a file in a “C” program: FILE *fp; fp = fopen (“file_name,” “mode”); The file is a data structure constructed in the standard library in the syntax above. fopen is a commonly used function that opens files.
How Do I Create a File and Directory in Linux?
This command’s fundamental syntax is mkdir dir (replace dir’ with the desired name of your directory). Keep in mind that the majority of Linux filesystems are case-sensitive before creating any directories or files.
How to Create a Text File in Linux Using VI?
Vi is also simple to activate. To create a new file or edit an existing one, type vi filename> at the command line.
How Do I Create an Empty Text File in Linux?
To create a file with no content, use the Linux touch command. The file produced by the touch command contains no data and has no bytes. When the user doesn’t have any data to store at the moment of file creation, they can use this command.
How to Create a Text File in Linux Gui?
You must thus use the touch command and the file’s name to create a new file in the current directory.
How to Create a File in Linux Using Vim?
To create and modify a file, use “vim”
- SSH into your server and log on.
- Go to the directory where you want to create the file or where you want to make changes to an existing file.
- The file’s name should be typed into vim.
- In order to launch vim’s INSERT mode, press the letter i on your keyboard.
- Enter text into the document.
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