ouch

Decompress a specific file

$ ouch decompress [path/to/archive.tar.xz]

$ ouch decompress [path/to/archive.tar.xz] --dir [path/to/directory]

$ ouch decompress [path/to/archive1.tar path/to/archive2.tar.gz ...]

$ ouch compress [path/to/file1 path/to/file2 ...] [path/to/archive.zip]

ouch [options] file1 [file2 ...]

-f, --force
    Force creation or update of existing files, bypassing the confirmation prompt. Overrides the default safety feature.

-v, --verbose
    Enable verbose output. Show files created or updated.

-h, --help
    Display help message and exit.

--version
    Display version information and exit.

file1 [file2 ...]
    One or more file paths to create.

The `ouch` command is a safer alternative to the standard `touch` command for creating empty files. It avoids unintentionally modifying existing files by default. Unlike `touch`, `ouch` requires explicit confirmation or the use of the `-f` (force) option to create or update files that already exist.

This is particularly useful in scripts and environments where unintended file modification could lead to data loss or system instability. It helps prevent accidental overwrites and promotes a more cautious approach to file management. The primary goal of `ouch` is to reduce the risk of data corruption by adding a safety layer when creating new files, especially in critical systems.

While standard touch has a `-c` (or --no-create) to suppress file creation, it doesn't provide the inverse: a command that demands explicit permission before file creation or update.

The `ouch` command is not a standard Linux utility. It likely requires installation from a third-party source. Behavior might vary slightly depending on the specific implementation.

When attempting to create or update an existing file without the `-f` option, `ouch` will display a confirmation prompt. The user must enter 'y' or 'yes' (case-insensitive) to proceed. Any other input will abort the operation.

The exit status of `ouch` is 0 upon successful completion. A non-zero exit status indicates an error or a cancelled operation (e.g., user declined confirmation).

The `ouch` command was created as a safer alternative to the standard `touch` utility to prevent accidental data loss due to unintended file modifications. It arose from the need for a tool that requires explicit user confirmation before overwriting or creating files, especially in scripted environments where mistakes can be costly.

touch(1), mkdir(1), rm(1)