rm command on Linux (remove files) [Basic Guide]

The rm command in Linux is used to remove files or directories.

You must have the write permission in the directory where the file is located to remove it. Using the —R and —f options, the rm command removes directories.

In some distributions the command “rm -i” is used as the nickname of the rm command, always requiring confirmation before removing.

The options are:

• -f Forces the removal of files without asking the user.
• -r, -R Removes a directory and all of its contents.
• -i Ask before removing
• -d, –dir Remove empty directories

Examples:

Remove file 1:

$ in file1

Remove the documents directory and all of its contents:

$ rm —Rf documents

Uirá Endy Ribeiro

Uirá Endy Ribeiro is a Software Developer and Cloud Computing Architect with a 23-year career. He has master's degrees in computer science and fifteen IT certifications and is the author of 11 books recognized in the IT world market. He is also Director at Universidade Salgado de Oliveira and Director of the Linux Professional Institute - LPI Director's Board.