How do erase the contents of a error.log file but keep the file intact

Question

I want to erase the contents of the file error.log (nginx error log file), but I don't want to actually delete the file.

is this possible?

running ubuntu

Answer 1

You can use this:

>error.log

(typed just like that - an empty output redirection)

or

truncate -s0 error.log

Answer 2

You'll confuse the daemon. Erase the file then send SIGHUP to nginx.