Removing Files

Deleting Files

rm (remove) permanently deletes files. Unlike a desktop recycle bin, there is no undo.

Basic Usage

rm notes.txt

Removing Multiple Files

rm file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt

Removing Directories

rm refuses to remove directories by default:

rm docs/     # error: cannot remove 'docs/': Is a directory

Use -r (recursive) to remove a directory and everything inside it:

rm -r docs/

The -f Flag

-f (force) suppresses error messages about non-existent files and never prompts for confirmation:

rm -f nonexistent.txt    # no error even if the file doesn't exist
rm -rf old-directory/    # force-remove a directory, no prompts

Warning: rm -rf is one of the most dangerous commands in Linux. It will delete everything in the specified path with no confirmation. Always double-check the path before running it.

Safer Alternative

Use -i to ask for confirmation before each deletion:

rm -i *.txt    # asks "remove file?" for each .txt file

Your Task

Remove notes.txt, then list the directory to confirm it was deleted.