In the world of Linux, templates provide a convenient way to create and reuse files or directories with predefined content or structure. Templates are especially useful when you frequently need to create similar files or directories, saving you time and effort. While templates are not a built-in feature in Linux, there are various approaches and tools available to achieve similar functionality.

One common approach is to use a combination of shell scripting and command-line tools to create templates. By creating a shell script that takes user input and generates files or directories based on predefined templates, you can automate the process of creating files with specific content or directories with a specific structure.

Another approach is to utilize a text editor with template support. Many text editors in Linux, such as Vim or Emacs, offer the ability to define and use templates. These templates can include placeholders that are replaced with user-defined values when creating a new file.

Let's explore these approaches with practical examples.

Examples:

1. Shell Scripting Approach:

   • Create a template file named template.txt with the following content:

     Hello, {{name}}! This is a template file.

   • Create a shell script named create_template.sh with the following content:

     #!/bin/bash
     
     read -p "Enter your name: " name
     sed "s/{{name}}/$name/g" template.txt > new_file.txt

   • Make the script executable: chmod +x create_template.sh
   • Run the script: ./create_template.sh
   • Enter your name when prompted.
   • A new file named new_file.txt will be created with the replaced placeholder.

2. Text Editor Approach (Vim):

   • Create a template file named template.txt with the following content:

     Hello, {{name}}! This is a template file.

   • Open Vim and create a new file: vim new_file.txt
   • In Vim, enter the following command to load the template: :r template.txt
   • Use Vim's substitution command to replace the placeholder with your name:

     :%s/{{name}}/Your Name/g

   • Save and exit Vim.