git - Creating new file with touch command in PowerShell error message

Question

I have a directory on my desktop created using PowerShell, and now I'm trying to create a text file within it.

I did change directory to the new one, and typed touch textfile.txt.

This is the error message I get:

touch : The term 'touch' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, 
script file, or operable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was 
included, verify that the path is correct and try again.

At line:1 char:1
+ touch file.txt
+ ~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (touch:String) [], CommandNotFoundException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : CommandNotFoundException`

Why is it not working? Will I have to use Git Bash all the time?

Answer 1

If you need a command touch in PowerShell you could define a function that does The Right Thing™:

function touch {
  Param(
    [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)]
    [string]$Path
  )

  if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $Path) {
    (Get-Item -Path $Path).LastWriteTime = Get-Date
  } else {
    New-Item -Type File -Path $Path
  }
}

Put the function in your profile so that it's available whenever you launch PowerShell.

Defining touch as an alias (New-Alias -Name touch -Value New-Item) won't work here, because New-Item has a mandatory parameter -Type and you can't include parameters in PowerShell alias definitions.