Linux mkdir Command Examples

The mkdir command in Linux stands for “make directory”. It is used to create new directories (folders) in the filesystem. With mkdir, you can create single directories, multiple directories, or even nested directory structures in one go. The command is highly flexible, allowing you to set permissions, handle directory names with spaces or special characters, and create parent directories automatically if they don’t exist.

Whether you’re organizing files, setting up project structures, or writing scripts, mkdir is an essential tool for managing directories efficiently in Linux.

Create a Single Directory

mkdir dirname

Creates a directory named dirname in the current location.

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Create Multiple Directories

mkdir dir1 dir2 dir3

Creates three directories (dir1, dir2, dir3) in the current location.

Create Nested Directories

mkdir -p parent/child/grandchild

• The -p flag creates parent directories if they don’t exist.
• Creates the full path parent/child/grandchild.

Set Permissions While Creating

mkdir -m 755 secure_dir

• -m sets directory permissions (e.g., 755 = rwxr-xr-x).

Create Directories with Spaces

mkdir "New Folder"

Use quotes to create directories with spaces in their names.

Create Directories with Special Characters

mkdir dir\#name   # Backslash escapes special characters
mkdir 'dir$name'  # Quotes handle special characters

Works for names containing $, #, !, etc.

Verbose Mode (Show Confirmation)

mkdir -v logs

• -v prints a message after creating the directory:
  mkdir: created directory 'logs'.

Create Directories with a Timestamp

mkdir "backup_$(date +%Y%m%d)"

Creates a directory like backup_20250301.

Create Multiple Nested Directories

mkdir -p project/{src,dist,test}

• Uses brace expansion to create:
  project/src, project/dist, project/test.

Create Directories from a List in a File

xargs mkdir -p < directories.txt

• Reads directory names from directories.txt and creates them.

Set Default Permissions Using umask

umask 022 && mkdir new_dir

• umask 022 ensures new directories have 755 permissions by default.

Create Temporary Directories

mkdir -p /tmp/mytempdir

Useful for scripts that need short-lived directories.

Combine with && for Scripts

mkdir -p /opt/app/config && cd "$_"

• Creates /opt/app/config and navigates into it using cd "$_".

Create Hidden Directories

mkdir .hidden_dir

Hidden directories start with a . (e.g., .config).

Create Directories with Specific Ownership

sudo mkdir /var/www/site && sudo chown www-data:www-data /var/www/site

Creates a directory and sets ownership for web server use.

Key Notes:

• Use -p (parents) to avoid errors when directories already exist.
• Always quote directory names with spaces or special characters.
• Use ls -l to verify directory creation and permissions.