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Create a directory and change into it at the same time

Terminal - Create a directory and change into it at the same time
md () { mkdir -p "$@" && cd "$@"; }
2009-09-24 16:09:19
User: drewk
Functions: cd mkdir
21
Up
Down
Create a directory and change into it at the same time

How often do you make a directory (or series of directories) and then change into it to do whatever? 99% of the time that is what I do.

This BASH function 'md' will make the directory path then immediately change to the new directory. By using the 'mkdir -p' switch, the intermediate directories are created as well if they do not exist.

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Alternatives

There are 2 alternatives - vote for the best!

Terminal - Alternatives
mkdir /home/foo/doc/bar && cd $_
2011-08-12 11:29:19
User: kzh
Functions: cd mkdir
Tags: bash cd mkdir bash tricks
29
Up
Down
mkdir & cd into it as single command

The biggest advantage of this over the functions is that it is portable.

Comments (0) | Add to favourites | Report as malicious
function mcd() { [ -n "$1" ] && mkdir -p "$@" && cd "$1"; }
2009-05-20 16:41:48
User: thebillywayne
Functions: cd mkdir
4
Up
Down
combine `mkdir foo && cd foo` into a single function `mcd foo`

I find that I create a directory and then cd into that directory quite often. I found this little function on the internets somewhere and thought I'd share it. Just copy-paste it into you ~/.bash_profile and then `source ~/.bash_profile`.

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echo 'mkcd() { mkdir -p "$@" && cd "$_"; }' >> ~/.bashrc
2010-01-13 09:37:56
User: phaidros
Functions: cd echo mkdir
Tags: bash cd mkdir bash tricks
-4
Up
Down
mkdir & cd into it as single command

combines mkdir and cd

added quotes around $_, thanx to flatcap!

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mkgo newdir
2011-12-11 07:31:35
User: awoods
Tags: bash function
-11
Up
Down
mkgo - Create a Directory and immediate go into it

# put this in your .bashrc

mkgo (){

mkdir $1 && cd $1

}

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Know a better way?

If you can do better, submit your command here.

What others think

This command does not work if the directory has embedded space:

mcd "foo bar"

To fix:

function md () { mkdir -p "$@" && cd "$@"; }

Comment by haivu 139 weeks and 2 days ago

Thanks!

you are correct and I fixed it...

Comment by drewk 139 weeks and 2 days ago

I would remove the redundant and bash specific "function" keyword. I use this in my .bashrc which I've commented on here:

http://www.pixelbeat.org/scripts/ls_color/

Comment by pixelbeat 139 weeks and 1 day ago

Done!

I usually like to use "function" because it aids interpreting what a function is. I don't have to notice the parens. But it is BASH specific... Liked your web site.

Comment by drewk 139 weeks and 1 day ago

You may want to switch the second one to $_ instead of $@

md() { mkdir "$@" && cd "$_"; }

That way if you want to add some options to mkdir, such as -p to make parents or -m to set mode, they'll get passed to mkdir without blowing up cd.

Comment by splante 38 weeks and 1 day ago

Your point of view

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