How do I delete a file under Linux / UNIX / BSD / AIX / HP-UX operating system?
To remove a file or directory in Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris or Unixish oses use the rm command.
rm command syntax
rm (short for remove) is a Unix / Linux command which is used to delete files from a filesystem. Usually, on most filesystems, deleting a file requires write permission on the parent directory (and execute permission, in order to enter the directory in the first place). The syntax is as follows:
rm -f -r {file-name}
Where,
- -f: Forcefully remove file
- -r: Remove the contents of directories recursively
Remove or Delete a File
To remove a file called abc.txt type the following command:$ rm abc.txt
To remove all files & subdirectories from a directory (MS-DOS deltree like command), enter:$ rm -rf mydir
To remove empty directory use rmdir and not rm command:$ rmdir mydirectory
Read a List of All Files To Delete From a Text File
The rm command is often used in conjunction with xargs to supply a list of files to delete. Create a file called file.txt:$ cat file.txt
List of to delete:
file1
/tmp/file2.txt
~/data.txt
Now delete all file listed in file.txt, enter:$ xargs rm < file.txt
Never run rm -rf / as an administrator or normal UNIX / Linux user
WARNING! These examples will delete all files on your computer if executed.$ rm -rf /
$ rm -rf *
rm -rf (variously, rm -rf /, rm -rf *, and others) is frequently used in jokes and anecdotes about Unix disasters. The rm -rf / variant of the command, if run by an administrator, would cause the contents of every writable mounted filesystem on the computer to be deleted. Do not try these commands.
