rm - Unix, Linux Command



NAME

rm - remove files or directories

SYNOPSIS

rm [OPTION]... FILE...

DESCRIPTION

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 command 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 --interactive=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

TAG DESCRIPTION
-f, --force ignore nonexistent files, 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 do not remove '/' (default).
-r, -R, --recursive remove directories and their contents recursively.
-v, --verbose explain what is being done.
--help display this help and exit.
--version output version information and exit.

EXAMPLES

Example-1:

Remove the file myfile.txt. If the file is write-protected, you will be prompted to confirm that you really want to delete it:

$ rm myfile.txt

Example-2:

Remove the file myfile.txt. You will not be prompted, even if the file is write-protected; if rm can delete the file, it will:

$ rm -f myfile.txt

Example-3:

Remove all files in the working directory. If it is write-protected, you will be prompted before rm removes it:

$ rm *

Example-4:

Remove all files in the working directory. rm will not prompt you for any reason before deleting them:

$ rm -f *

Example-5:

Attempt to remove every file in the working directory, but prompt before each file to confirm:

$ rm -i *

Example-6:

Remove every file in the working directory; prompt for confirmation if more than three files are being deleted:

$ rm -I *

Example-7:

Remove the directory mydirectory, and any files and directories it contains. If a file or directory that rm tries to delete
is write-protected, you will be prompted to make sure that you really want to delete it:

$ rm -r mydirectory

Example-8:

Same as the above command, but you will never be prompted; if rm can delete the files, it will:

$ rm -rf mydirectory

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