NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

       rm - remove files or directories

SYNOPSIS    [Toc]    [Back]

       rm [OPTION]... FILE...

DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]

       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    [Toc]    [Back]

       Remove (unlink) the FILE(s).

       -d, --directory
	      attempt to unlink target, 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 unrecoverable, consider using shred.

AUTHOR    [Toc]    [Back]

       Written by Paul Rubin, David MacKenzie, Richard Stallman, and Jim  Meyering.

REPORTING BUGS    [Toc]    [Back]

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

COPYRIGHT    [Toc]    [Back]

       Copyright (C) 2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
       This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is
       NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR  A  PARTICULAR
       PURPOSE.

SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]

       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 (fileutils) 4.1		  March 2002				 RM(1)