mkdir Command: Tutorial & Examples

Create a new directory

The mkdir command is a utility in Linux that allows you to create directories (also known as folders).

Here is the basic syntax for using mkdir:

mkdir [options] directory

The directory argument is the name of the directory that you want to create.

Here are some common options for mkdir:

• -m mode: Specifies the permissions mode for the new directory.
• -p: Creates any missing intermediate directories in the specified path.

Here is an example of using mkdir to create a new directory named mydir:

mkdir mydir

This command will create a new directory with the default permissions mode.

To create a new directory with specific permissions, you can use the -m option, like this:

mkdir -m 755 mydir

This command will create a new directory named mydir with permissions set to 755, which allows the owner to read, write, and execute the directory, and allows everyone else to read and execute the directory.

To create a directory and any intermediate directories in the specified path, you can use the -p option, like this:

mkdir -p /path/to/new/dir

This command will create the dir directory and any intermediate directories that do not already exist in the specified path.

Further Reading

• Linux for Hackers by Mark Reed (partner link)
• How Linux Works by Brian Ward (partner link)
• Linux for Beginners by Jason Cannon (partner link)
• Expert Linux Administration Guide by Vishal Rai (partner link)

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