rm - Remove directory entries

rm [-f | -i] [-dPRr] file ...

Description

The rm utility attempts to remove the non-directory type files specified on the command line. If the permissions of the file do not permit writing, and the standard input device is a terminal, the user is prompted (on standard error) for confirmation.

The rm utility removes symbolic links, not the files referenced by the links.

It is an error to attempt to remove the files "." and "..".

Options

-d

Attempt to remove directories as well as other types of files.

-f

Attempt to remove the files without prompting for confirmation, regardless of the file's permissions. If the file does not exist, do not display a diagnostic message or modify the exit status to reflect an error. The -f option overrides any previous -i options.

-i

Request confirmation before attempting to remove each file, regardless of the file's permissions, or whether the standard input device is a terminal. If the response from the standard input begins with the first character for the YES response in the current locale, the file is removed. The -i option overrides any previous -f options.

-P

Overwrite regular files before deleting them. Files are overwritten three times, first with the byte pattern 0xff, then 0x00, and then 0xff again, before they are deleted.

-R

Attempt to remove the file hierarchy rooted in each file argument. The -R option implies the -d option. If the -i option is specified, the user is prompted for confirmation before each directory's contents are processed (as well as before the attempt is made to remove the directory). If the user does not respond affirmatively, the file hierarchy rooted in that directory is skipped.

-r

Equivalent to -R.

Exit Status

• 0 if all of the named files or file hierarchies were removed, or if the -f option was specified and all of the existing files or file hierarchies were removed.
• >0 if an error occurs.

Related information

• cp - Copy files
• ln - Link files
• ls - List directory contents
• mv - Move files
• rmdir - Remove directories

1. Remove all the files and the directory "java", as well as any subdirectories or files, or both, and do not prompt for conformation.

   rm -r -f /home/bob/examples/code/java
   

2. Remove the files "file1", "file2" and "file3".

   rm file1 file2 file3