Linux Shell Scripting Essentials

Special files

The files other than regular files, directories, and link files are special files. They are as follows:

• The block device file
• The character device file
• The named pipe file
• The socket file

The block device file

A block device file is a file that reads and writes data in block. Such files are useful when data needs to be written in bulk. Devices such as hard disk drive, USB drive, and CD-ROM are considered as block device files. Data is written asynchronously and, hence, other users are not blocked to perform the write operation at the same time.

To create a block device file, mknod is used with the option b along with providing a major and minor number. A major number selects which device driver is being called to perform the input and output ...