LFCS Essential Commands Practice Question
Which TWO commands can be used to create a new empty file?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to think `echo 'text' > file` creates an empty file because they focus on the redirection operator, but the echo command always writes at least a newline, so the file is not empty.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
touch file
The `touch` command is specifically designed to create an empty file if it does not already exist, or update its timestamps if it does. Option D is correct because using the shell redirection operator `>` with no command before it (or with a null command) creates an empty file by truncating any existing content or creating a new zero-byte file.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
touch file
Why this is correct
Creates an empty file if it does not exist.
- ✗
mkdir file
Why it's wrong here
Creates a directory, not a file.
- ✗
cat file
Why it's wrong here
Concatenates file content, does not create.
- ✓
> file
Why this is correct
Shell redirection creates an empty file.
- ✗
echo 'text' > file
Why it's wrong here
Creates a file with content, not empty.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This LFCS practice question is part of Courseiva's free Linux Foundation certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the LFCS exam.