Removing Files and Directories

The rm command deletes files permanently. Use it carefully—there's no trash can in the terminal!

Remove a Single File

Use rm filename to delete a file.

Try the command

Delete a file!

Build the command

rm[arguments]

Terminal

~$rm old.txt

Delete instantly:

Terminal

~$rm trash.txt ls

Remove Multiple Files

Delete several files at once by listing them.

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Delete multiple files!

Build the command

rm[arguments]

file1 file2 file3Multiple files - deletes all specified files.

Terminal

~$rm temp1.txt temp2.txt temp3.txt

Batch deletion:

Terminal

~$rm delete1.txt delete2.txt ls

Remove Empty Directories: rmdir

The rmdir command removes empty directories. It refuses to delete non-empty ones.

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Delete an empty directory!

Build the command

rmdir[arguments]

rmdir

Terminal

~$rmdir empty_folder

Remove empty folders:

Terminal

~$rmdir EmptyFolder/ ls

Remove Directories with Contents: rm -r

Use rm -r to delete directories and all their contents. Be very careful with this!

Try the command

Delete a directory with files!

Build the command

rm[arguments]

Terminal

~$rm -r old_project

Delete entire trees:

Terminal

~$rm -r Project ls

Knowledge Check

1 / 3

What does rm do?

Renames a file

Removes a file

Reads a file

Restores a file

Removing Files and Directories

Remove a Single File

Try the command

Remove Multiple Files

Try the command

Remove Empty Directories: rmdir

Try the command

Remove Directories with Contents: rm -r

Try the command

Knowledge Check

References

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