The Linux rm Command: Everything You Need to Know

The Linux rm command deletes files and directories. To use this tool safely, you need to be certain what’s going to happen when you hit “Enter.” Here’s what you need to know.

The Linux rm command is primarily for deleting files. It’s one that most people encounter soon after they start using Linux. Just by virtue of being a newcomer to Linux, you’re likely to make mistakes. You’ll create or copy files by accident, or with the wrong name, or to the wrong place. It’s all part of the learning curve of the command line. The clean-up operations for such mistakes involve rm .

The rm command can delete files, groups of files, directories, or complete directory trees. That’s why it must be used with caution. Using rm isn’t difficult, but the penalty for failure is high.