rm command (removes files or directories)

Organization of this page

Format

rm [-d] [-f] [-i] [-R] [-r] path-name ...

This command removes files or directories.

-d: Specifies that file or directory removal is to be performed. In the case of a directory, the entire directory is removed.
-f: Specifies that file removal is to be performed without requesting confirmation. Nonexistent files are ignored. This option is ignored if it is specified before the -i option.
-i: Specifies that confirmation is to be requested before removal is performed. Removal will be performed only if the reply y or Y is read from the standard input. This option is ignored if it is specified before the -f option.
-R|-r: Specifies that a directory tree is to be removed recursively.
path-name: Specifies a path name to be removed. Multiple path names can be specified.

Return code	Meaning
`0`	Normal termination The specified file or directory removal was successful. If the `-f` option was specified, the files that existed among the specified files were removed successfully.
`1` or greater	Error termination

Return code

Meaning

0

Normal termination

The specified file or directory removal was successful.
If the -f option was specified, the files that existed among the specified files were removed successfully.

1 or greater

Error termination

In Windows, when you confirm removal without write permissions, non-access permissions other than the owner's are not displayed.

For details about the permissions that are displayed, see ls command (lists the contents of files or directories).
If the options -f and -i are both specified, the one specified last takes effect.

Specify the -i option to require confirmation before removing a file.
```
C:\TEMP>%ADSH_OSCMD_DIR%\rm -i file2.txt
remove file2.txt?
```

Display an error message if the file does not exist.

C:\TEMP>%ADSH_OSCMD_DIR%\rm c.txt
rm: c.txt: No such file or directory

Display an error message when you attempt to remove a directory without using the -d option.
```
C:\TEMP>%ADSH_OSCMD_DIR%\rm dir8
rm: dir8: is a directory
```
Display an error message when you attempt to remove a directory that contains files.
```
C:\TEMP>%ADSH_OSCMD_DIR%\rm -d dir8
rm: dir8: Directory not empty
```
Display an option error message.

This message might vary depending on the platform on which the command is executed. The following shows an example in Windows:
```
C:\TEMP>%ADSH_OSCMD_DIR%\rm -w
rm: illegal option -- w
usage: rm [-dfiRr] file ...
```