mkfifo − make FIFOs (named pipes)

mkfifo [options] file...

POSIX options: [−m mode] [−−]

GNU options (shortest form): [−m mode] [−−help] [−−version] [−−]

mkfifo creates FIFOs (also called "named pipes") with the specified filenames.

A "FIFO" is a special file type that permits independent processes to communicate. One process opens the FIFO file for writing, and another for reading, after which data can flow as with the usual anonymous pipe in shells or elsewhere.

By default, the mode of created FIFOs is 0666 (‘a+rw’) minus the bits set in the umask.

−m mode, −−mode=mode

Set the mode of created FIFOs to mode, which can be symbolic as in chmod(1) and uses the default mode as the point of departure.

−−

Terminate option list.

−−help

Print a usage message on standard output and exit successfully.

−−version

Print version information on standard output, then exit successfully.

−−

Terminate option list.

The variables LANG, LC_ALL, LC_CTYPE and LC_MESSAGES have the usual meaning.

POSIX 1003.2

This page describes mkfifo as found in the fileutils-4.0 package; other versions may differ slightly. Mail corrections and additions to aeb@cwi.nl. Report bugs in the program to fileutils-bugs@gnu.ai.mit.edu.