Create a new directory in Unix

To create a subdirectory in the home directory of your Unix account, use the mkdir command. For example, to create a subdirectory called work, at the Unix prompt from within your home directory, enter:

  mkdir work

The mkdir command requires at least one argument and will take multiple arguments. To create three directories named work, programs, and reports, enter:

  mkdir work programs reports

If you're currently in your home directory and you want to make a new directory in another directory, you don't need to use the cd command first. You may specify a pathname with the mkdir command, for example:

  mkdir bin/work

The mkdir command in conjunction with the -p option creates the directories specified in a path. This is very useful when you want to make a directory structure that is several directories deep, and none of the subdirectories exist yet. For example, the following command will create the work, work/programs, work/programs/reports, and work/programs/reports/completed subdirectories:

  mkdir -p work/programs/reports/completed

Without the -p option, this command would have returned an error.

For more information on the mkdir command, see the online manual. At the Unix shell prompt, enter:

  man mkdir

At Indiana University, for personal or departmental Linux or Unix systems support, see Get help for Linux or Unix at IU.

This is document abng in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2023-07-14 08:28:43.