rm

Rm, usually written as rm, is a standard command in Unix and Unix-like operating systems used to delete files and directories from the filesystem. It is typically found as /bin/rm or /usr/bin/rm and is provided by implementations such as GNU coreutils on Linux, BSD utilities on BSD systems, and equivalent programs on other platforms.

Rm deletes files by issuing the appropriate system calls (such as unlink) and removes directories with directory-specific operations (such as rmdir) depending on the options given. Common options include -r or -R for recursive removal of directories, -d for removing empty directories, -f to ignore non-existent files and suppress prompts, -i to prompt before each removal, and -v to print what is being removed. GNU coreutils versions also offer --preserve-root to prevent deleting the root directory and other safety-oriented options.

Caution is a central concern with rm because deletions are typically permanent and bypass standard trash or recycle mechanisms. Recursive and forced removals can rapidly erase large portions of a filesystem if misused, especially when combined with wildcards. Some environments apply default aliases (for example, alias rm='rm -i') to reduce risk, while others expose the full, unadorned command. Users should carefully verify targets and paths before execution, and consider using interactive or safer workflows when handling important data.

History and variants: rm originated in early Unix as part of the core set of filesystem utilities. Today, it is most commonly implemented as a GNU coreutils program on Linux, with BSD, macOS, and other systems providing compatible versions. Different environments may vary slightly in available options and behavior, but the core purpose remains the same: to remove files and, with appropriate options, to remove directories and their contents.

See also: unlink, rmdir, trash or recycle utilities, and shell file-management commands.