Remove All Files in a Directory with the Prompt in Linux

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The command line is a powerful tool in Linux for controlling files and directories. In order to prevent accidentally losing important files, you should always remove all files from a directory using a prompt. In this article, you’ll go through how to remove all files in a directory with the use of a prompt in Linux.

Table of Contents Expand

Key Takeaways

  • Learning to remove all files in a directory with the prompt in Linux.
  • Learning to remove all files in a directory without the prompt in Linux.
  • Knowing about frequently asked questions and their answers regarding file permission.

Requirements

  • You must have root/sudo access to Ubuntu.
  • You need to avoid removing system directories.

Process Flow Chart

Distro Used Throughout the Tutorial: Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS

flowchart of removing all files in a directory with the prompt in Linux

Watch How to Remove All Files in a Directory with the Prompt in Linux

Steps to Remove all Files in a Directory with the Prompt in Linux

You can remove all the files in a directory using the rm command with option -i which will prompt before removing all the files of the directory in Linux. Here, I am going to remove all the files from the directory named Berries. For a better understanding, follow the following procedure:

Steps to Follow >

➊ To view all the files in the Berries folder, copy the following command in the command prompt:

ls -l ~/Berries
EXPLANATION
  • ls: Shows all the files in a specific folder.
  • option -l: Long listing format.
  • ~/Berries: Path of the Berries folder.

➋ After that, hit the ENTER key.view all files in a directory before removing them with a prompt in linuxIn the image above, you can see that there are six files in the Berries directory which are Blackberry.css, Blueberry.txt, Cranberry.html, Mulberry.css, Raspberry.txt & Strawberry.html.

➌ To remove all the files with the prompt, run the following command in the command prompt:

rm -i ~/Berries/*
EXPLANATION
  • rm: Removes files.
  • option -i: Prompts before removing.
  • ~/Berries: Path of the Berries folder.

❹ Type yes/y for every prompt and press the ENTER button to remove each file.

Note: Type No/n and press the ENTER button to discontinue the deletion process
removing all files in a directory in linux with promptAs you can see in the snapshot above, there is a prompt for each question in the terminal.

❺ Now, to check whether the files are removed or not, execute the following command in the command prompt:

ls -l ~/Berries
EXPLANATION
  • ls: Shows all the files in a specific folder.
  • option -l: Long listing format.
  • ~/Berries: Path of the Berries folder.
check if all files are removedIn the image above, you can see all the files of the Berries folder are removed with the prompt using the rm command with option -i.

Read More: Remove All Files from Current Directory in Linux [2 Methods]

Complementary Information

You will find the following information useful along with discovering how to remove all files in a directory with the prompt in Linux.

Remove All Files in a Directory in Linux Without a Prompt

You can remove all files in a directory without prompt using the rm command with option -f which will force the removal of all the files of the directory in Linux. Here, I am going to remove all the files from the directory named Berries. Follow the steps below for a better understanding:

Steps to Follow >

➊ To view all the files in the Berries folder, copy the following command in the command prompt:

ls -l ~/Berries
EXPLANATION
  • ls: Shows all the files in a specific folder.
  • option -l: Long listing format.
  • ~/Berries: Path of the Berries folder.

➋ Then, Press the ENTER button.view all files in a directory before removing them with a prompt in linuxAs you can see in the image above, there are six files in the Berries directory which are Blackberry.css, Blueberry.txt, Cranberry.html, Mulberry.css, Raspberry.txt & Strawberry.html.

➌ To remove all the files without a prompt, run the following command in the command prompt:

rm -f ~/Berries/*
EXPLANATION
  • rm: Removes files.
  • option -f: Forces file removal.
  • ~/Berries: Path of the Berries folder.
removing all files in a directory in linux without prompt❹ Now, to check whether the files are removed or not, execute the following command in the command prompt. 
ls -l ~/Berries
EXPLANATION
  • ls: Shows all the files in a specific folder.
  • option -l: Long listing format.
  • ~/Berries: Path of the Berries folder.
check if all files are removedIn the snapshot above, you can see all the files of the Berries folder are removed without prompting using the rm command with option -f.

Read More: How to Force Remove Directory in Linux? [Step-by-Step]

Conclusion

In this article, I demonstrated how to use a prompt to remove all files in a directory in Linux. If you want to prompt for confirmation before removing each file, use the option -i of the rm command. It is always a good practice to use the option -i to avoid accidentally removing important files.

People Also Ask

Is there a risk of accidentally removing important files when removing all files in a directory with a prompt in Linux?
There is still a chance that you will confirm the deletion of important files by accident. By prompting for confirmation before removing each file, the -i option minimizes the risk.”.

Can I remove directories with the rm command in Linux?
Yes, you can remove directories by using the -r option with the rm command. Use this option with caution, though, since it could result in the accidental removal of important files.

How do I remove all files in a directory and its subdirectories in Linux with prompt?
To recursively delete all files in the directory and all of its subdirectories, use the rm command with the option -r and the option-i for prompting. For example: rm -ri /path/to/directory/*.

Is it safe to use the ‘rm -f’ command to remove write-protected files?
It can be risky to use the “rm -f” command to remove write-protected files because it will do so without prompting for affirmation. It is important to check that you are removing the correct file and that you have the necessary permissions to do so.

Can I restore files that I have deleted in Linux?
If the files are backed up, you can restore them from the backup; otherwise, you can try using a file recovery tool like ‘testdisk’ or ‘photorec’.

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Jannatul Ferdousi Sylvie

Hi there! This is Jannatul Ferdousi Sylvie. I am one of the Linux Content Developer Executives at Softeko. I live in Dhaka, Bangladesh. I have completed my BSc. in Software Engineering from American International University-Bangladesh. You can see my projects in the GitHub account. I love traveling, shopping, cooking, and gardening. Read Full Bio

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