RM(1)                            User Commands
RM(1)



NNAAMMEE
       rm - remove files or directories

SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
       rrmm [_O_P_T_I_O_N]... _F_I_L_E...

DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
       This  manual  page  documents  the  GNU version
       of rrmm.  rrmm removes each specified file.
       By default, it does not remove directories.

       If the _-_I or
       _-_-_i_n_t_e_r_a_c_t_i_v_e_=_o_n_c_e
       option is given,  and  there  are  more than
       three  files  or  the  _-_r,  _-_R, or
       _-_-_r_e_c_u_r_s_i_v_e are given, then
       rrmm prompts the user for whether to proceed with the
       entire operation.   If the response is not affirmative,
       the entire command is aborted.

       Otherwise,  if  a file is unwritable,
       standard input is a terminal, and the _-_f or
       _-_-_f_o_r_c_e  option  is  not  given,  or
       the  _-_i  or  _-_-_i_n_t_e_r_a_c_‐
       _t_i_v_e_=_a_l_w_a_y_s  option is given,
       rrmm prompts the user for whether to remove the file.
       If the response is not affirmative, the file is skipped.

OOPPTTIIOONNSS
       Remove (unlink) the FILE(s).

       --ff, ----ffoorrccee
              ignore nonexistent files, never prompt

       --ii     prompt before every removal

       --II     prompt once before removing  more  than
       three  files,  or  when
              removing  recursively.  Less intrusive than
              --ii, while still giv‐ ing protection
              against most mistakes

       ----iinntteerraaccttiivvee[=_W_H_E_N]
              prompt according to WHEN: never,  once  (--II),
              or  always  (--ii).  Without WHEN, prompt
              always

       ----oonnee--ffiillee--ssyysstteemm
              when  removing  a hierarchy recursively,
              skip any directory that is on a file system
              different from  that  of  the  corresponding
              command line argument

       ----nnoo--pprreesseerrvvee--rroooott
              do not treat `/' specially

       ----pprreesseerrvvee--rroooott
              do not remove `/' (default)

       --rr, --RR, ----rreeccuurrssiivvee
              remove directories and their contents recursively

       --vv, ----vveerrbboossee
              explain what is being done

       ----hheellpp display this help and exit

       ----vveerrssiioonn
              output version information and exit

       By default, rm does not remove directories.  Use the
       ----rreeccuurrssiivvee (--rr or --RR)
       option to remove each listed directory, too, along
       with all of  its contents.

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

              rm ---- --ffoooo

              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.

AAUUTTHHOORR
       Written by Paul Rubin, David MacKenzie, Richard
       Stallman, and Jim  Mey‐ ering.

RREEPPOORRTTIINNGG BBUUGGSS
       Report bugs to <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.

CCOOPPYYRRIIGGHHTT
       Copyright © 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
       This  is  free  software.   You may redistribute
       copies of it under the terms      of      the
       GNU      General       Public       License
       <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.   There  is
       NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

SSEEEE AALLSSOO
       unlink(1), unlink(2), chattr(1), shred(1)

       The full documentation for rrmm is maintained as a
       Texinfo  manual.   If the  iinnffoo and rrmm
       programs are properly installed at your site, the
       com‐ mand

              iinnffoo rrmm

       should give you access to the complete manual.



rm 6.7                           December 2006
RM(1)
