If you’re a developer or someone who works with projects that involve creating a complex folder structure, Windows Terminal makes it fast and efficient to set up directories, add files, and view your directory structure. In this guide, you’ll learn how to complete all of these steps in a few quick commands, making it ideal for organizing project files.
Step 1: Open Windows Terminal or Command Prompt
First, you’ll need to open either the Command Prompt or Windows Terminal.
- Command Prompt: Search for “cmd” in the Start menu.
- Windows Terminal: Download it from the Microsoft Store if you don’t have it installed. It provides a more versatile command-line interface for Windows.
Step 2: Create Nested Directories with One Command
To create multiple directories at once, use the mkdir command followed by the paths you want to create. CMD does not use the -p flag as in Linux, but you can create nested folders by listing each path.
For example:
mkdir -p "project"
mkdir -p "project\assets"
mkdir -p "project\assets\css"
mkdir -p "project\assets\js"This command will create a project folder with assets, css, and js subdirectories, resulting in the following structure:
project
└── assets
├── css
└── jsStep 3: Create Files Within Each Directory
Now, create the necessary files in each directory using the echo command. This command lets you add basic content to each file directly from the terminal.
- Create
index.htmlin theprojectfolder:
echo "<!DOCTYPE html>" > "project\index.html"- Create
style.cssin theproject\assets\cssfolder:
echo "/* Style sheet */" > "project\assets\css\style.css"- Create
script.jsin theproject\assets\jsfolder:
echo "// JavaScript file" > "project\assets\js\script.js"These commands will create files and write a small placeholder line of content in each file. You can open these files in a text editor later to add your actual content.
Step 4: View the Directory Structure Using the tree Command
To see the entire folder and file structure you’ve just created, use the tree command:
tree /fThe /f option displays all files in addition to the folders. After running this command, you should see an output similar to:
C:\path\to\your\project
├── index.html
└── assets
├── css
│ └── style.css
└── js
└── script.jsFull Example: Building a Project Structure with Windows Terminal Commands
Here’s the complete set of commands to build this sample project structure:
mkdir -p "project"
mkdir -p "project\assets"
mkdir -p "project\assets\css"
mkdir -p "project\assets\js"
echo "<!DOCTYPE html>" > "project\index.html"
echo "/* Style sheet */" > "project\assets\css\style.css"
echo "// JavaScript file" > "project\assets\js\script.js"
tree /fWrapping Up
By following these steps, you’ll quickly create a structured project directory, populate it with starter files, and view the organization in just a few seconds. Windows Terminal and Command Prompt provide a streamlined way to set up and check complex directory structures, making your project setup more efficient.
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