The process of removing files and directories from Linux is pretty straightforward. However, this process can be tedious and long when the number of files is large or there are different paths for several subdirectories. For this reason, it is convenient that you get useful knowledge on How to Delete or Delete Linux File or Directory – Easy Guide
Index( )
- The Linux file system
- Linux directories
- Is it possible to delete multiple files or folders at the same time?
- How to delete folders and directories from the file manager
- Delete a file from Linux
- Can I delete multiple files at the same time?
- Delete a Linux directory
- What commands can I use to delete files in Linux?
- Rmdir command
- Rm command
- Procedure to remove two or more Linux directories at the same time
- How to delete Linux directories containing files and subdirectories
- How can I delete all Linux directories and files permanently
The Linux file system
Linux in all its versions has a file system that consists of a layer located under the operating system environment which allows to position the data for storage. Thanks to the file system, Linux can identify where a file starts and ends .
Therefore, in Linux files work through a structure called the “file system.” Generally, you will notice that when installing a Linux distribution the default file system is called “Ext4”.
Linux directories
Linux directories are folders that store main operating system commands , startup files, the configuration of all the packages that have been installed, the paths where the different devices have been mounted, and the processes that are running.
For this reason, it can be said that Linux directories are special files that serve to collect more files in an organized way. In this way, the foundation of the Linux system is established.
Is it possible to delete multiple files or folders at the same time?
It is important that you know that with Linux it is possible to delete or delete not just a single file. You can also do this procedure and delete multiple files , this terminal is so versatile and functional that it has great differences with Windows. That it is even possible to delete an entire directory, something that might seem impossible.
And all this thanks to the different methods that can be used in Linux, such as with the commands. Or through the file manager and last but not least functional from the terminal. With these methods you will be able to delete all the files in a folder that contain a specific extension.
How to delete folders and directories from the file manager
Unlike Windows, Linux works through a hierarchy called the file system that is not directly tied to hardware. For this reason, it is essential to know how to search for files in Linux and how to delete them knowing that there is a path or Path where all files and directories are linked.
Delete a file from Linux
Before deleting a file from Linux, you must access the system terminal. To do this, press the key combination Ctrl + Alt + T. Once you access the terminal, you can rename files in Linux if you wish and apply a series of commands to execute the deletion .
Linux has a command called “rm” for deleting files. If you want to delete a particular file, just type rm followed by the name of the file and its extension . Therefore, if it is a text file, the line will be: rm file.txt where “file” must be replaced by the original name of the file.
Can I delete multiple files at the same time?
It is possible to delete several files with the same extension through a different process than we do in other operating systems . To do this, you must write the following line: rm * .extension, replacing “extension” with the real name of the extension of the group of files you want to delete.
Delete a Linux directory
To delete a Linux directory, it is recommended to use the file manager, although the terminal can also be used. If you go through the file manager you can navigate in it until you reach the directory you want to delete.
What commands can I use to delete files in Linux?
On the other hand, if you prefer to use the terminal, you will need the command “rmdir”. However, we advise you to check what the directory contains before proceeding to delete it, since the rmdir command will only be useful to delete empty folders.
The same happens with another type of command that you can use from the terminal. But calm, then we will tell you how to use these commands in an easy and simple way.
Rmdir command
To delete a directory from the Linux terminal , just type rmdir followed by the directory name. It is important to mention that for this command to take effect you must have logged into the VPS server using SSH.
Rm command
This is a widely used command to be able to delete files, but one of its main functions is that it is possible to delete several files simultaneously . To use it, it will only be necessary that we enter the same directory where the file to be deleted is located and execute the following command rm file.
Procedure to remove two or more Linux directories at the same time
It is possible to delete multiple directories at once on Linux. To achieve this, type the command rmdir and the name of each directory separated by a space. If any directory contains files or subdirectories, you will see an error that refers to the impossibility of executing the action you have requested.
How to delete Linux directories containing files and subdirectories
If you want to remove directories that contain subdirectories and files, then the rm command is valid. With –r you can delete the sequence of folders and what they contain. You can also handle the –i command to confirm the removal process and –rf to perform a force removal of directories. In this way, you will avoid making a mistake.
Hence, Linux directory removal requires a line of code like this: rm –r directory_name or rm –i directory_name for successful execution.
How can I delete all Linux directories and files permanently
It is important that you know that when deleting or deleting a file or directory in Linux this is done permanently. Therefore, if you accidentally delete a file , this can have severe consequences for your computer. Therefore learning how to use the different methods to delete a file or directory is essential.
As well as the commands that we explain to you to use in the previous titles, therefore if you put into practice what we already taught you. You will have no problem deleting or deleting one or several files at the same time as well as an entire directory permanently from Linux.
