Deleting Safely
Use rm and rmdir to delete files and directories, and understand the dangers of rm -rf.
rm, the file is gone. This makes the terminal incredibly efficient — and demands respect. Always pause before deleting to make sure you're targeting the right files.rm file.txt # delete a single file
rm file1.txt file2.txt # delete multiple files
rm -r old-project/ # delete a directory and its contents
rmdir empty-folder/ # delete an empty directory onlyrm removes files. To remove a directory and everything inside it, you need rm -r (recursive). If you only want to remove an empty directory, rmdir is a safer choice — it refuses to delete a directory that still has files in it, acting as a safety check.Never run rm -rf / or rm -rf ~. The -rf combination means "recursive" and "force" — it deletes everything without asking for confirmation. Pointed at root or home, it will destroy your entire system. Some systems have safeguards, but don't count on them. Always double-check the path.
rm -i which asks for confirmation before each file. It's slower, but it can save you from accidental data loss. Many experienced developers alias rm to rm -i as a default safety net.Before deleting with rm -r, run ls on the directory first to see what's inside. This two-second check can prevent catastrophic mistakes. Another safe pattern: move files to a "trash" directory first, then delete the trash later.
In Command Prompt, del file.txt deletes files and rmdir /s folder deletes directories. PowerShell uses Remove-Item file.txt and Remove-Item -Recurse folder/. Unlike the terminal, Windows does sometimes send files to the Recycle Bin.
temp-notes.txt and remove the empty old-builds directory. Remember: there's a safer command for removing empty directories than rm -r.