freeCodeCamp/guide/english/bash/bash-touch/index.md

title
Bash touch

Bash command: touch

Change timestamps of files.

touch [options] filename

Creates empty file if not exists or modify times of existing files to current time.

Commonly used options:

• -t change timestamp to specific date ((YYYYMMDDHHMM.SS)) instead of current time.
• -r use timestamp from first file to second file.
• -a In case you want to only change the access time, use the -a command line option.
• -m Similarly, if the requirement is to only change the modification time, use the -m command line option. Examples:

touch -t YYYYMMDDHHMM.SS filename
touch -r file1 file2
touch -am file3

More Information:

• Man pages