rmdir

rmdir

The rmdir command in Unix and Linux is used to remove empty directories (folders) from the file system. It is specifically designed to delete directories that contain no files or subdirectories.

Basic Usage

The basic syntax for the rmdir command is:

rmdir [options] directory...

• options: Optional command-line options to control the behavior of rmdir.

• directory: The name(s) of the directory(ies) to be removed.

Examples

Removing an Empty Directory

To remove an empty directory:

rmdir emptydir

This command deletes the directory named emptydir from the current working directory. It will only work if emptydir is empty (contains no files or subdirectories).

Removing Multiple Empty Directories

To remove multiple empty directories at once:

rmdir dir1 dir2 dir3

This command removes the empty directories dir1, dir2, and dir3 from the current working directory.

Options

-p Option: Remove Parent Directories

To remove a directory and its empty parent directories:

rmdir -p path/to/emptydir

This command removes emptydir and its parent directories if they are empty.

-v Option: Verbose Output

To display detailed information about the directories being removed:

rmdir -v emptydir

This command provides verbose output, indicating the directory emptydir was successfully removed.

Practical Use Cases

Cleaning Up Temporary Directories

To clean up temporary directories that are no longer needed:

rmdir tempdir1 tempdir2 tempdir3

This command removes multiple temporary directories that have served their purpose and are now empty.

Batch Processing with find

To remove all empty directories within a specific path:

find /path/to/search -type d -empty -exec rmdir {} \;

This command uses find to locate all empty directories (-type d -empty) under /path/to/search and executes rmdir on each one.

Safety Tips

• Verify Directory Contents: Ensure directories you intend to delete are indeed empty to avoid unintentional data loss.

• Use with Caution: rmdir deletes directories permanently and cannot be undone, so exercise caution when using it.

Summary

The rmdir command is a straightforward tool for deleting empty directories in Unix and Linux environments. Its simplicity and optional flags provide flexibility for efficiently cleaning up directories that are no longer needed. Understanding its usage and options ensures safe and effective directory management on your system.

help

Usage: rmdir [OPTION]... DIRECTORY...
Remove the DIRECTORY(ies), if they are empty.

      --ignore-fail-on-non-empty
                  ignore each failure that is solely because a directory
                    is non-empty
  -p, --parents   remove DIRECTORY and its ancestors; e.g., 'rmdir -p a/b/c' is
                    similar to 'rmdir a/b/c a/b a'
  -v, --verbose   output a diagnostic for every directory processed
      --help     display this help and exit
      --version  output version information and exit

GNU coreutils online help: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>
Report any translation bugs to <https://translationproject.org/team/>
Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/rmdir>
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) rmdir invocation'