Create empty files with touch

touch is the fastest way to create an empty file. If the name already exists, touch does not wipe the contents — it only refreshes the last-modified time. That second use is why scripts and build tools call it so often.

Create a new empty file

Give touch a name that is not there yet. The file appears immediately, with zero bytes.

Try the command

Create an empty file!

Build the command

touch[arguments]

touch

filenameName of the file to create or refresh.

Terminal

~$touch empty.txt

Make a placeholder file:

Terminal

~$touch empty.txt ls

You can pass several names in one command: touch a.txt b.txt c.txt.

Refresh a file that already exists

If existing.txt is already on disk, touch existing.txt keeps the text inside and only updates the timestamp. Use this when a process watches for “new” files, or when you want ls -l to show a current time without opening an editor.

touch existing.txt
ls -l existing.txt

touch will not create missing parent folders. If you need logs/today.txt and logs does not exist, create the folder with mkdir first.

Knowledge Check

1 / 3

What does touch empty.txt do when the file is missing?

Deletes empty.txt

Creates an empty empty.txt

Opens an editor

Prints the file

Create empty files with touch

Create a new empty file

Try the command

Refresh a file that already exists

Knowledge Check

References

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