How to Delete Directories in Linux

The Ways to Delete Directories in Linux

You may remove directories (or folders) in several ways in Linux. In this tutorial, we will look for command line options for deleting the directory.

The commands allow removing an empty directory as well as a directory with subdirectories and files.

The Directory Delete Commands

Following are the options for removing folders in Linux:

• rmdir command — Deletes the specified empty folders and directories in Linux.
• rm command — Deletes the document including sub-directories.

The rmdir is a command-line utility for deleting empty directories. It’s helpful once you need to delete a directory only if it’s empty, without having to check if the directory is empty or not.

To delete a directory using rmdir, type the command followed by the name of the directory that you would like to eliminate. By Way of Example, to delete a directory called test_dir you’d type:

Using –v for diagnostic message

If you want to see proceedings of directory deletion, use the –v option in the rmdir command as shown below:

The output should be like this:

Deleting multiple directories by wildcards

You may use two wildcards to match and remove the directories. These are:

• *
• ?

For example:

This will delete directories in the current path starting with “test”.

What if directory is not empty?

If the directory isn’t empty, You’ll Get the following error:

rmdir: failed to remove ‘test_dir’: No such file or directory

The rm command

The rm is a command-line utility for deleting directories and files. Unlike rmdir the rm command may delete both blank and non-empty directories.

As mentioned earlier, when the directory contains files or subdirectories, then the rmdir command doesn’t remove the directory.

To remove a directory and its contents, including any subdirectories and files, use the rm command together with the recursive option, -r.

The basic syntax for your rm command would be:

By default, rm just deletes files, so you have to let it delete a directory using -d, like that:

The rm command is stronger than rmdir. Also, you can utilize it to recursively delete a directory, its subdirectories, and all of the files it contains using just one command, such as this:

What if directory or file is write-protected?

When a directory or a file inside the directory is write-protected, then you’ll be prompted to verify the deletion. To remove a directory without even being prompted, use the -f option:

Deleting multiple directories in single command

For removing multiple directories, just separate the name by a space as shown below:

Using the –i option

The –i option in the rm command makes it asking you to confirm before deleting each file or subdirectory. For example:

If you have lots of files or subdirectories then it may be concerning to use this option for each deletion. You may also use capital I i.e. –I option for one confirmation.

The Way to delete a directory in Linux systems such as Ubuntu and Mint

Linux comes in several distinct forms, typically called distributions or flavors. The most well-known distributions of Linux, Ubuntu, and Mint, will seem very familiar to anybody who’s used to Windows 10 or macOS.

These variations of Linux use background environments with file system explorers which allow you to see, add, alter, and delete the different files and folders stored on your computer’s storage drive in an intuitive way.

How to delete files in these distributions/flavors of Linux?

The simplest way to delete a directory from Linux Ubuntu or Mint would be to just right-click the folder on your system’s file explorer utility and choose the option “Move to Trash.”

This moves the directory and everything in it to some Trash container at the file system which stores the data that is unwanted.

This permits you to get rid of unnecessary directories to produce things more organized while also giving you the chance to restore the directory to its original place if you change your mind.

FAQs: Deleting Directories in Linux

Best practices to keep in mind while deleting directories in Linux

1. Use Caution with Command Line Deletions:
   • When deleting directories or files through the command line, exercise caution. Once deleted using commands like rmdir or rm, recovery might be impossible. Always double-check the path and content before executing deletion commands.
2. Understand File System Permissions:
   • Ensure you have the necessary write permissions for both the directory and its contents. Lack of permissions may result in an “Operation not permitted” error. Use chmod if needed to adjust permissions.
3. Backup Important Data:
   • Before initiating directory deletions, especially if they contain critical data, consider creating backups. This precaution ensures that important information is not lost accidentally.
4. Verify Directory Status:
   • Before using rmdir, confirm that the directory is empty if you intend to delete only empty directories. For non-empty directories, use the more versatile rm command with appropriate options.
5. Use Descriptive Options:
   • When using commands like rmdir or rm, include descriptive options such as -v (verbose) to receive diagnostic messages. This helps confirm the deletion process and provides feedback on the actions taken.
6. Be Mindful of Wildcards:
   • If using wildcards with commands like rmdir, ensure you are targeting the correct directories. Wildcards like * and ? can match multiple directories, so review the list before confirming deletion.
7. Prevent Prompting with -f:
   • To avoid being prompted for confirmation, especially when using rm -r for recursive deletions, use the -f option. However, exercise caution, as this will bypass confirmation for all deletions.
8. Consider -i for Interactive Deletion:
   • When using the rm command, consider the -i option for interactive deletion. This prompts for confirmation before deleting each file or subdirectory, preventing accidental mass deletions.
9. Use Capital -I for Single Confirmation:
   • To achieve a single confirmation prompt for the entire deletion process, use the capital -I option with rm. This strikes a balance between safety and efficiency.
10. Leverage GUI for User-Friendly Deletion:
    • In desktop environments like Ubuntu or Mint, use the graphical file explorer for a user-friendly deletion process. Right-click on the directory and select “Move to Trash” to easily manage deleted items and restore if necessary.

Wrapping up things