mktemp

# Create a temporary file or directory in /tmp, safely, and print its name.

# Files are created u+rw, and directories u+rwx, minus umask restrictions.

Opts

• -d, --directory            # create a directory, not a file
• -u, --dry-run              # do not create anything; merely print a name (unsafe)

i.e.

mktemp

output

/tmp/tmp.9Q62JjONGX

ls -l /tmp/tmp.9Q62JjONGX

-rw------- 1 root root 0 Aug 26 16:59 /tmp/tmp.9Q62JjONGX

# script

tmefile=$(mktemp)
echo $tmefile
rm -f $tmefile