How to Delete Files and Directories in Linux (rm)

rm permanently removes files or directories — there is no built-in trash or undo.

Key points

• rm -r is required to delete a directory and everything inside it
• rm -f suppresses confirmation prompts and errors for files that don't exist — use with caution
• rm -rf combines both and is one of the most destructive commands in Linux; double-check the path before running it

Example

rm -r ./old-build