RM(1)                    User Commands                    RM(1)





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 is not affirmative, the file is skipped.

OPTIONS
       Remove (unlink) the FILE(s).

       -d, --directory
              unlink FILE, even if it is a non-empty  directory
              (super-user only; this works only if your system

              supports `unlink' for nonempty directories)

       -f, --force
              ignore nonexistent files, never prompt

       -i, --interactive
              prompt before any removal

       --no-preserve-root  do  not  treat  `/'  specially  (the
              default)

       --preserve-root
              fail to operate recursively on `/'

       -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 exam-
       ple `-foo', use one of these commands:

              rm -- -foo

              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 unrecov-
       erable, consider using shred.

AUTHOR
       Written by Paul Rubin, David MacKenzie,  Richard  Stall-
       man, and Jim Meyering.

REPORTING BUGS
       Report bugs to <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright (C) 2004 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
       This is free software; see the source for copying condi-
       tions.  There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABIL-
       ITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

SEE ALSO
       chattr(1), shred(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 5.3.0                 November 2004                    RM(1)