How to Delete Files and Directories in Linux

In the Linux operating system, everything is considered a file, even directories. This guide aims to provide an easy-to-understand walkthrough on how to delete files and directories in Linux. We’ll cover essential commands like rm and rmdir along with their options for various scenarios.

Deleting an Empty Directory

In Linux, you can remove an empty directory using the rmdir command. Here’s an example that demonstrates how to delete a directory named “images” that contains no files:

$ rmdir images/

Alternatively, you can also use the rm command coupled with the -d option to achieve the same result:

$ rm -d images/

Note: If the directory contains files, you can’t use rmdir to remove it. Attempting to do so will result in the following message:

$ rmdir images/
rmdir: images/: Directory not empty

Deleting a Directory and Its Contents

If you wish to remove a directory along with all its contents, you can use the rm command with the -r (recursive) option:

$ rm -r images/

For a forceful deletion without any confirmations, use the -rf options:

$ rm -rf images/

Deleting a Single File

To remove a single file in Linux, you can use the straightforward rm command. For example, to delete a file named “cat.gif”:

$ rm cat.gif

Forcefully Deleting a File

If you want to force the deletion of a file, add the -f option to the rm command:

$ rm -f cat.gif

Prompt Before Deletion

For added safety, you can prompt a confirmation before removing any file or directory by using the -i option:

$ rm -i cat.gif
remove cat.gif? y

Verbose Output

To see a verbose output detailing which files are being deleted, use the -v option:

$ rm -v cat.gif
cat.gif

Deleting Multiple Files

To remove multiple files at once, you can use the * wildcard character. The following example removes all .gif images:

$ rm *.gif

Complete rm Command Usage

The rm command comes with a variety of options for different needs:

With this guide, you should now have a comprehensive understanding of how to delete files and directories in Linux using various options. Remember to always exercise caution when using deletion commands, as they are irreversible actions.