RM(1) FSF RM(1)NAMErm - remove files or directories
SYNOPSISrm [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 unrecover
able, 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 MER
CHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
SEE ALSOshred(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.
rm (fileutils) 4.1 April 2001 RM(1)
