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If you want to be a better programmer, you should learn terminal commands. If you are a Windows user, then you should learn the CMD command to create and edit files and folders.

Open the Windows command prompt and use the following command to create and navigate the folder. You can also add and run these commands inside a .bat file (for automation purposes)

Working with Folders

To create a folder: mkdir folder_name (or Folder_name with location)

Example : mkdir D:\python books

To Navigate to that folder

cd D:\python books

Note: ‘cd' means change directory.

If CMD won't change the directory to another drive, use /d after the cd.

cd /d D:\files

You can also use the drive letter with a semicolon to change the drive

C:\> d:

To rename the folder

ren D:\python books python learning material

To list the files in the current directory

dir

Note: Use dir /? To get the build-in help documentation, to learn more about the dir command to sort fields with size, name, etc.

Move files from one location to another.

move hello.txt D:\

To move multiple files with the same file extension

Use a wildcard to specify the file pattern if you want to move multiple files.

move *.txt C:\Users\public\Desktop

Note: It will not overwrite files if they are already in the destination folder.

If you want to overwrite an existing file, then use the following command: Also, use (move /?) to get additional information and options.

move /Y *.txt C:\Users\public\Desktop

To copy Files: copy (source) (destination)

Ex: copy hello.txt D:\

To copy all files inside the folder: xcopy (source) (destination) /E /I /H

Ex: xcopy D:\rani C:\Users\Public\Desktop /E /I /H

Note:-

• /E – Copy directories and subdirectories inside the folder
• /I  – Create the directory structure at the destination
• /H – Copies the hidden and system files also.

Working with Files

To create text files: Use the echo command to create text files.

echo (text) > (file name with extension)

Example : echo Hello world >mytext.txt

It will create a file named mytext.txt with the content “hello world” in the current directory.

To read a text file content

You can also use the following command to create files with other extensions, like .py or .md

notepad test.py

If you want to use the “touch” command to create files (like the videos you see on YouTube), install the npm package named touch-cli using the following command:

npm install touch-cli -g

Then try to create the file using the following command:

touch test.html

Use the type command to open and read a text file: type (filename with extension)

type mytext.txt

To change the content inside a text file

Use the echo command followed by ‘>” (redirection operator to overwrite text file content.

echo  Good Morning>mytext.txt

You can also use the copy con command followed by the file name to edit the text file content.

copy con mytext.txt

Edit the content you need. Then press Ctrl + Z and press the Enter key to save the changes.

To delete a file

del mytext.txt

To delete a folder or directory (use the command be carefully. Because it will delete the folder without your confirmation)

rmdir /s /q folder_name

Or use the command with rd instead of rmdir

rd /s /q folder_name

Note: use rmdir or rd with the /s option to delete the folder.

How to start the specific application

Use the start command followed by the name or path of the file.

start chrome

or

start C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe

To clear previously typed commands & output on the command panel

cls

To Close the command prompt

Type exit and press Enter.

exit 

Do not forget to check out our “Best Windows Shortcut Keys for Programmers” article.