How to Delete a File or Directory via Terminal – Command to Remove a Folder and its Contents

Here are the steps to delete a directory in Linux using the rm command:

  1. Open the terminal: To delete a directory/file in Linux, you need to use the command line. Login to the Bluehost main account and select the server. Then browse the button or link “Server Console”.
  2. Server Login: Enter root login credentials, if asked
  3. Navigate to the directory you want to delete: Use the cd command to navigate to the directory you want to delete. For example, if the directory you want to delete is called my_directory and is located in your home/userdirectory_name/public_html folder, type cd /home/userdirectory_name/public_html and press "Enter".

The cd command is used to change the current working directory in a command-line interface. 

Here's the basic usage:

  • cd - Changes the working directory to the user's home directory.
  • cd directory_name - Changes the working directory to the specified directory.
  • cd .. - Moves up one level in the directory hierarchy (to the parent directory).
  • cd /path/to/directory: Changes the working directory to the specified absolute path.
  1. Check the contents of the directory: Before deleting the directory, it is a good idea to check its contents to make sure you are deleting the right directory. Use the ls command to list the contents of the directory. For example, type ls -l  and press "Enter" to see the files and folders inside the my_directory folder.

Here are some common usages:

  • ls - Lists the files and directories in the current working directory.
  • ls directory_name - Lists the contents of the specified directory.
  • ls -l - Displays a detailed listing, including additional information such as file permissions, owner, size, and modification date.
  • ls -a - Lists all files, including hidden files (those whose names start with a dot .).
  • ls -h - Human-readable file sizes (e.g., KB, MB, GB).
  • ls -R - Recursively lists the contents of subdirectories.
  • ls -t - Sorts files by modification time, newest first.
  • ls -S - Sorts files by size, largest first.
  1. Delete the directory and its contents: To delete the directory and all its contents, use the rm command with the -r option, which stands for recursive and it may prompt the user for confirmation before deleting each file and directory.

Type rm -r my_directory and press “Enter”. You will be prompted to confirm the deletion. Type y and press "Enter" to confirm.

Type rm -r * and press “Enter”.  (This command will remove all files and directories in the current directory and its subdirectories.)

When combined, rm -rf can be used to forcefully and recursively delete directories and their contents without asking for confirmation.

Here's a breakdown of the command:

  • rm - Stands for "remove."
  • -r - Stands for "recursive," which means it will remove the specified directory and its contents, including subdirectories.
  • -f - Stands for "force," which suppresses most error messages and prompts, making the removal non-interactive.
  • * - Represents a wildcard character that matches any file or directory.
  1. Verify that the directory has been deleted: To verify that the directory has been deleted, use the ls -l command to list the contents of the parent directory. For example, if the my_directory folder was located in your public_html folder, type ls -l and press "Enter". The my_directory folder should no longer be listed.

Note: Be very careful when using the rm -r command, as it can delete files and directories irreversibly.