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 directories and their contents recursively

       -v, --verbose
              explain what is being done

       --help display this help and exit

       --version
              output version information and exit

       By default, rm does not remove directories.  Use the --recursive (-r or
       -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 -- -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 unrecoverable, consider using shred.

AUTHOR

       Written by Paul Rubin, David MacKenzie, Richard Stallman, and Jim  Mey-
       ering.

REPORTING BUGS

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

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright (C) 2005 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.

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 com-
       mand

              info rm

       should give you access to the complete manual.

rm 5.93                          November 2005                           RM(1)