How do you create special files like named pipes and device files?

The system call mknod creates special files in the following sequence.

1.      kernel assigns new inode,

2.      sets the file type to indicate that the file is a pipe, directory or special file,

3.      If it is a device file, it makes the other entries like major, minor device numbers.

For example:

If the device is a disk, major device number refers to the disk controller and minor device number is the disk.