touch

touch [options] [date] files

For one or more files, update the access time and modification time (and dates) to the current time and date, or update to the optional date. date is a date and time in the format mmddhhmm[yy]. touch is useful in forcing other commands to handle files a certain way; e.g., the operation of make, and sometimes find, relies on a file's access and modification time.

Options

-a

Update only the access time.

-c

Do not create nonexistent files.

-m

Update only the modification time.