rm

rm

The rm command in Unix and Linux is used to remove files or directories. It is a powerful command that can delete files permanently, so it must be used with caution. The command has various options that provide flexibility in how files and directories are deleted.

Basic Usage

The basic syntax for the rm command is:

rm [options] file...

  • options: Command-line options to control the behavior of rm.

  • file: The file(s) or directory(ies) to be removed.

Examples

Removing a Single File

To remove a single file:

rm file.txt

This command deletes file.txt. If file.txt doesn't exist, an error message is displayed.

Removing Multiple Files

To remove multiple files:

rm file1.txt file2.txt

This command deletes file1.txt and file2.txt.

Removing an Empty Directory

To remove an empty directory:

rmdir dir

This command deletes the empty directory dir.

Options

-i Option: Interactive Mode

To prompt for confirmation before each removal:

rm -i file1.txt file2.txt

This command asks for confirmation before deleting each file.

-f Option: Force Mode

To force removal of files without prompting:

rm -f file.txt

This command deletes file.txt without any confirmation, even if it is write-protected.

-r Option: Recursive Removal

To remove directories and their contents recursively:

rm -r dir

This command deletes the directory dir and all its contents, including subdirectories.

-v Option: Verbose Mode

To display detailed information about what is being removed:

rm -v file1.txt file2.txt

This command outputs detailed information about the files being deleted.

Practical Use Cases

Deleting Files in a Directory

To delete all files in a directory:

rm dir/*

This command deletes all files in the dir directory, but not the directory itself.

Removing a Directory and Its Contents

To remove a directory and all its contents:

rm -r dir

This command deletes the directory dir and all files and subdirectories within it.

Forcing Deletion of Write-Protected Files

To delete a write-protected file without prompting:

rm -f file.txt

This command forces the deletion of file.txt, even if it is write-protected.

Safety Tips

  • Use rm with caution: Files deleted with rm cannot be easily recovered.

  • Double-check file paths: Ensure you specify the correct files or directories to avoid accidental data loss.

  • Use interactive mode (-i): When in doubt, use the -i option to prompt for confirmation before each deletion.

Summary

The rm command is a powerful tool for removing files and directories in Unix and Linux environments. Its various options provide flexibility for different deletion scenarios, such as recursive removal, force deletion, and interactive mode. Understanding these options and practical use cases can help you use rm safely and effectively.

help

Usage: rm [OPTION]... [FILE]...
Remove (unlink) the FILE(s).

  -f, --force           ignore nonexistent files and arguments, never prompt
  -i                    prompt before every removal
  -I                    prompt once before removing more than three files, or
                          when removing recursively; less intrusive than -i,
                          while still giving protection against most mistakes
      --interactive[=WHEN]  prompt according to WHEN: never, once (-I), or
                          always (-i); without WHEN, prompt always
      --one-file-system  when removing a hierarchy recursively, skip any
                          directory that is on a file system different from
                          that of the corresponding command line argument
      --no-preserve-root  do not treat '/' specially
      --preserve-root[=all]  do not remove '/' (default);
                              with 'all', reject any command line argument
                              on a separate device from its parent
  -r, -R, --recursive   remove directories and their contents recursively
  -d, --dir             remove empty directories
  -v, --verbose         explain what is being done
      --help     display this help and exit
      --version  output version information and exit

By default, rm does not remove directories.  Use the --recursive (-r or -R)
option to remove each listed directory, too, along with all of its contents.

To remove a file whose name starts with a '-', for example '-foo',
use one of these commands:
  rm -- -foo

  rm ./-foo

man

NAME
       rm - remove files or directories

SYNOPSIS
       rm [OPTION]... [FILE]...

DESCRIPTION
       This manual page documents the GNU version of rm.  rm removes each specified file.  By default, it does not remove directories.

       If  the  -I  or --interactive=once option is given, and there are more than three files or the -r, -R, or --recursive are given,
       then rm prompts the user for whether to proceed with the entire operation.  If the response is not affirmative, the entire  com‐
       mand is aborted.

       Otherwise,  if a file is unwritable, standard input is a terminal, and the -f or --force option is not given, or the -i or --in‐
       teractive=always option is given, rm prompts the user for whether to remove the file.  If the response is not  affirmative,  the
       file is skipped.

OPTIONS
       Remove (unlink) the FILE(s).

       -f, --force
              ignore nonexistent files and arguments, never prompt

       -i     prompt before every removal

       -I     prompt once before removing more than three files, or when removing recursively; less intrusive than -i, while still giv‐
              ing protection against most mistakes

       --interactive[=WHEN]
              prompt according to WHEN: never, once (-I), or always (-i); without WHEN, prompt always

       --one-file-system
              when removing a hierarchy recursively, skip any directory that is on a file system different from that of the correspond‐
              ing command line argument

       --no-preserve-root
              do not treat '/' specially

       --preserve-root[=all]
              do not remove '/' (default); with 'all', reject any command line argument on a separate device from its parent

       -r, -R, --recursive
              remove directories and their contents recursively

       -d, --dir
              remove empty directories

       -v, --verbose
              explain what is being done

       --help display this help and exit

       --version
              output version information and exit

       By  default,  rm does not remove directories.  Use the --recursive (-r or -R) option to remove each listed directory, too, along
       with all of its contents.
       To remove a file whose name starts with a '-', for example '-foo', use one of these commands:

              rm -- -foo

              rm ./-foo

       Note that if you use rm to remove a file, it might be possible to recover some  of  its  contents,  given  sufficient  expertise
       and/or time.  For greater assurance that the contents are truly unrecoverable, consider using shred.
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