---
name: "MAKEDEV"
section: "8"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["linux", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/MAKEDEV"
---

# MAKEDEV(8)

create system and device special files

## NAME

**MAKEDEV** – create system and device special files

## SYNOPSIS

**MAKEDEV** \[*name* *...*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The shell script **MAKEDEV**, found in the */dev* directory, is used to create various special files. See [intro(4)](/intro/4.md) for a more complete discussion of special files.

**MAKEDEV** takes any number of device names as arguments, where the names are the common abbreviation for the device or group of devices. Files are created in the current working directory.

Where a device name is followed by a star ‘\*’, the star must be replaced by a unit number. If units are expected for a device but not provided, **MAKEDEV** will supply the standard numbers in most cases.

The alpha supports the following devices:

**Special** **device** **names**

- *all*

  Creates special files for all devices on alpha.

- *ramdisk*

  Ramdisk kernel devices.

- *std*

  Creates the ‘standard’ devices (console, klog, kmem, ksyms, mem, null, stderr, stdin, stdout, tty, zero) which are absolutely necessary for the system to function properly.

- *local*

  Creates configuration-specific devices, by invoking the shell file *MAKEDEV.local*.

- *redodisks*

  Recreates all partitions for disks found in */etc*.

**Disks**

- *cd\**

  ATAPI and SCSI CD-ROM drives, see [cd(4)](/cd/4.md).

- *fd\**

  Floppy disk drives (3 1/2", 5 1/4"), see [fd(4)](/fd/4.md).

- *rd\**

  “rd” pseudo-disks, see [rd(4)](/rd/4.md).

- *sd\**

  SCSI disks, including flopticals, see [sd(4)](/sd/4.md).

- *vnd\**

  “file” pseudo-disk devices, see [vnd(4)](/vnd/4.md).

- *wd\**

  “winchester” disk drives (ST506, IDE, ESDI, RLL, ...), see [wd(4)](/wd/4.md).

**Tapes**

- *ch\**

  SCSI media changers, see [ch(4)](/ch/4.md).

- *st\**

  SCSI tape drives, see [st(4)](/st/4.md).

**Terminal** **ports**

- *tty\[0-7\]\[0-9a-f\]*

  NS16x50 serial ports, see [com(4)](/com/4.md).

- *ttyc\**

  Cyclades serial ports, see [cy(4)](/cy/4.md).

- *ttyB\**

  DEC 3000 serial ports, see [zs(4)](/zs/4.md).

**Pseudo** **terminals**

- *ptm*

  pty master device, see ptm(4).

- *pty\**

  Set of 62 master pseudo terminals, see [pty(4)](/pty/4.md).

- *tty\**

  Set of 62 slave pseudo terminals, see [tty(4)](/tty/4.md).

**Console** **ports**

- *ttyC-J\**

  wscons display devices, see [wsdisplay(4)](/wsdisplay/4.md).

- *wscons*

  Minimal wscons devices, see [wscons(4)](/wscons/4.md).

- *wskbd\**

  wscons keyboards, see [wskbd(4)](/wskbd/4.md).

- *wsmux*

  wscons keyboard/mouse mux devices, see [wsmux(4)](/wsmux/4.md).

**Pointing** **devices**

- *wsmouse\**

  wscons mice, see [wsmouse(4)](/wsmouse/4.md).

**Printers**

- *lpa\**

  Polled printer port, see [lpt(4)](/lpt/4.md).

- *lpt\**

  IEEE 1284 centronics printer, see [lpt(4)](/lpt/4.md).

**USB** **devices**

- *ttyU\**

  USB serial ports, see [ucom(4)](/ucom/4.md).

- *uall*

  All USB devices, see [usb(4)](/usb/4.md).

- *ugen\**

  Generic USB devices, see [ugen(4)](/ugen/4.md).

- *uhid\**

  Generic HID devices, see [uhid(4)](/uhid/4.md).

- *fido*

  fido/\* nodes, see [fido(4)](/fido/4.md).

- *ujoy*

  ujoy/\* nodes, see [ujoy(4)](/ujoy/4.md).

- *ulpt\**

  Printer devices, see [ulpt(4)](/ulpt/4.md).

- *usb\**

  Bus control devices used by usbd for attach/detach, see [usb(4)](/usb/4.md).

**Special** **purpose** **devices**

- *audio\**

  Audio devices, see [audio(4)](/audio/4.md).

- *bio*

  ioctl tunnel pseudo-device, see [bio(4)](/bio/4.md).

- *bktr\**

  Video frame grabbers, see [bktr(4)](/bktr/4.md).

- *bpf*

  Berkeley Packet Filter, see [bpf(4)](/bpf/4.md).

- *diskmap*

  Disk mapper, see [diskmap(4)](/diskmap/4.md).

- *dt*

  Dynamic Tracer, see [dt(4)](/dt/4.md).

- *fd*

  fd/\* nodes, see [fd(4)](/fd/4.md).

- *fuse*

  Userland Filesystem, see [fuse(4)](/fuse/4.md).

- *hotplug*

  devices hot plugging, see [hotplug(4)](/hotplug/4.md).

- *pci\**

  PCI bus devices, see [pci(4)](/pci/4.md).

- *pf*

  Packet Filter, see [pf(4)](/pf/4.md).

- *pppx\**

  PPP Multiplexer, see [pppx(4)](/pppx/4.md).

- *pppac\**

  PPP Access Concentrator, see pppac(4).

- *radio\**

  FM tuner devices, see [radio(4)](/radio/4.md).

- *\*random*

  In-kernel random data source, see [random(4)](/random/4.md).

- *rmidi\**

  Raw MIDI devices, see [midi(4)](/midi/4.md).

- *speaker*

  PC speaker, see [spkr(4)](/spkr/4.md).

- *tun\**

  Network tunnel driver, see [tun(4)](/tun/4.md).

- *tap\**

  Ethernet tunnel driver, see [tap(4)](/tap/4.md).

- *tuner\**

  Tuner devices, see [bktr(4)](/bktr/4.md).

- *uk\**

  Unknown SCSI devices, see [uk(4)](/uk/4.md).

- *video\**

  Video V4L2 devices, see [video(4)](/video/4.md).

- *vscsi\**

  Virtual SCSI controller, see [vscsi(4)](/vscsi/4.md).

- *kstat*

  Kernel Statistics, see [kstat(4)](/kstat/4.md).

## FILES

- */dev*

  The special file directory.

## SEE ALSO

[intro(4)](/intro/4.md), [config(8)](/config/8.md), [mknod(8)](/mknod/8.md)