The Linux Newbie Guide

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Fundamentals

rm - Remove Files

The rm (remove) command is used to delete files or directories. The basic syntax is rm [OPTIONS] file1 file2 ..., where "OPTIONS" are optional command options, and "file1", "file2", and so on are the names of the files or directories you want to delete.

Common options include:

-r or -R: Recursively remove directories and their contents (used for deleting directories).
-f: Force removal without confirmation.
-i: Interactive mode, prompts for confirmation before deleting each file.
-v: Verbose mode, displays the name of each file being deleted.

For example:

$ rm file ← Deletes a single file
$ rm file1 file2 ←Deletes multiple files
$ rm -r dir1 ←Deletes a directory and its contents
$ rm -ir dir1 ←Deletes a directory and prompts for confirmation for each file
$ rm goo* ← Deletes all files starting with "goo"

The rm command is powerful and should be used with caution, especially when using the "-r" option to avoid accidental data loss. More rm examples and explanations can be found at the following link.