mkdir(1)
Create one or more directories.
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Synopsis
mkdir [OPTION]... DIRECTORY...Description
The mkdir command creates new directories (folders) with the specified names. By default, it creates directories in the current working directory, but you can specify absolute or relative paths.
If a directory already exists, mkdir will fail unless you use the -p flag. Parent directories must exist unless you use -p to create them automatically.
Common options
| Flag | What it does |
|---|---|
-p | Create parent directories as needed; no error if directory exists |
-m MODE | Set file mode (permissions) for created directories, e.g., -m 755 |
-v | Print a message for each directory created |
-Z CONTEXT | Set SELinux security context for created directories |
Examples
Create a single directory named 'mydir' in the current location
mkdir mydirCreate 'myapp' and 'src' directories even if parent directories don't exist
mkdir -p /home/user/projects/myapp/srcCreate 'private' directory with permissions 700 (rwx------)
mkdir -m 700 privateCreate three directories at once
mkdir dir1 dir2 dir3Create three backup directories with verbose output
mkdir -v backup_{2023,2024,2025}Create nested directories with specific permissions
mkdir -p ~/documents/work/current -m 755