mktemp

Files and directories

Usage

mktemp [-d]

Creates a temp file or directory with a name nobody can guess and prints its path; it never cleans up after itself, so pair it with a trap on exit.

Common flags

Flag	Meaning
-d	Create a directory instead of a file
-t	Build the name from a prefix inside the temp directory
-p	Choose the parent directory
-u	Only print a name, create nothing. Unsafe, avoid it
-q	Say nothing when it fails

Examples

tmp=$(mktemp)

A private temp file, with its path in $tmp.

dir=$(mktemp -d)

A temp directory to work in.

mktemp /tmp/build.XXXXXX

The trailing Xs become random characters.

Moving, deleting and finding. Some of these do not ask twice, which is why -i becomes a habit.

How to read this

Q. What does mktemp do?

Creates a temp file or directory with a name nobody can guess and prints its path; it never cleans up after itself, so pair it with a trap on exit.

Q. How do I type it?

mktemp [-d] — square brackets mark the parts you can leave out.

Q. How many flags are worth knowing?

5 are listed here; the full set is in man mktemp. This command sits under Files and directories.

man page: man mktemp