is mknod portable? if not, what is the alternative?
I would like to use `mknod` in my code to create a file, but `man` says, that 

> The only portable use of mknod() is to create a FIFO-special file.  If mode is not S_IFIFO or dev is not  0,  the  behavior  of
       mknod()  is unspecified.

Does that mean, that mknod is not really portable and I should use some other way to create a function? How about calling `open` and the instantly `close`? Which way is safer?
is mknod portable? if not, what is the alternative?
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I would like to use `mknod` in my code to create a file, but `man` says, that 

> The only portable use of mknod() is to create a FIFO-special file.  If mode is not S_IFIFO or dev is not  0,  the  behavior  of
       mknod()  is unspecified.

Does that mean, that mknod is not really portable and I should use some other way to create a function? How about calling `open` and the instantly `close`? Which way is safer?