RM(1) manual page

Table of Contents

## 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.

GNU rm, like every program that uses the getopt function to parse its arguments, lets you use the -- option to indicate that all following arguments are non-options. To remove a file called `-f' in the current directory, you could type either

> rm -- -f

or

> rm ./-f

The Unix rm program's use of a single `-' for this purpose predates the development of the getopt standard syntax.

## 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

## Reporting Bugs

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

## See Also

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.

Table of Contents

- Name
- Synopsis
- Description
- Options
- Reporting Bugs
- See Also