rm

Remove files (delete/unlink)

SYNTAX
      rm [options]... file...

OPTIONS
  -d, --directory      unlink directory, 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 you must have write permission on the file and the folder where it is stored.

rm -rf will recursively remove folders and their contents

The OWNER of a file does not need rw permissions in order to rm it.

Undeletable files

The rm command accepts the `--' option which will cause it to stop processing flag options from that point forward. This allows the removal of file names that begin with a dash (`-').
rm -- -filename
Alternatively use an absolute or relative path reference.
rm /home/user/-filename
rm ./-filename

To delete a file with non-printable characters in the name: `bad file name' Use the shell wildcard "?" for each character

rm bad?file?name

"It devoured my paper, it was a really good paper" - Ellen Feiss

Related Linux Bash commands:

ls - List information about files
rmdir - Remove folder(s)

Equivalent Windows XP commands:

DEL - Delete one or more files
RD - Delete folders or entire folder trees (DELTREE)