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rm

NAME

rm - remove files or directories

SYNOPSIS

rm [OPTION]... FILE...

DESCRIPTION

This manual page documents the GNU version of rm. rm removes each specified file. By default, it does not remove directories.

If a file is unwritable, the standard input is a tty, and the -f or --force option is not given, rm prompts the user for whether to remove the file. If the response does not begin with `y' or `Y', the file is skipped.

OPTIONS

Remove (unlink) the FILE(s).

-d, --directory

unlink directory, even if non-empty (super-user only)

-f, --force

ignore nonexistent files, never prompt

-i, --interactive

prompt before any removal

-r, -R, --recursive

remove the contents of directories recursively

-v, --verbose

explain what is being done

--help

display this help and exit

--version

output version information and exit

To remove a file whose name starts with a `-', for example `-foo', use one of these commands:

../src/rm -- -foo

../src/rm ./-foo

Note that if you use rm to remove a file, it is usually possible to recover the contents of that file. If you want more assurance that the contents are truly unrecoverable, consider using shred.

AUTHOR

Written by Paul Rubin, David MacKenzie, Richard Stallman, and Jim Meyering.

REPORTING BUGS

Report bugs to <bug-fileutils@gnu.org>.

COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

SEE ALSO

shred(1)

The full documentation for rm is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and rm programs are properly installed at your site, the command

info rm

should give you access to the complete manual.