How can I create and open a file from terminal with a single command?

Question

To create a file from terminal I type the following...

$ touch filename.py

To open the file I just created from terminal, I then type...

Answer 1

you can use:

cat > youNewFile.someExtension

Example:

cat > myNewFile.txt

After you are done press Ctrl + d to save or Ctrl + c to abort (but in this case it's gonna save an empty file. The redirection operator ( > ) will create the file if it doesn't already exists in your folder and you will be able to edit it right a way through the terminal.

Answer 2

On a Mac to create a lazytouch function to create and open a file in one line you have to edit .bashrc. You might have to first create it. Beware if you are a novice programmer. Some of these commands might require you to prepend sudo for permission to create and save. Enter these commands in terminal.

$ cd ~

$ touch .bashrc

$ open .bash_profile

Enter this profile in .bash_profile to check for .bashrc

# To get aliases and functions
if [ -f ~/.bashrc ]; then
    . ~/.bashrc
fi

Remember to save .bash_profile. Then in bash do this.

$ open .bashrc

Enter this text in the .bashrc

# .bashrc

# User specific aliases and functions

lazytouch() {
    touch $1
    open $1
}

Remember to save .bashrc

Now you can cd to any folder then create and open a file with one line.

$ lazytouch anything.really