rmdir
Cross-platform | |
Type | Command |
---|
In computing, rmdir
(or rd
) is a
Implementations
The command is available in
rmdir
command.[6]It is also available in the open source MS-DOS emulator DOSBox and in KolibriOS.[7] The numerical computing environments MATLAB and GNU Octave include an rmdir
function with similar functionality.[8][9]
Usage
Unix, Unix-like
Normal usage is straightforward:
$ rmdir name_of_directory
where name_of_directory corresponds with the name of the directory one wishes to delete. There are options to this command such as -p in Unix which removes parent directories if they are also empty.
For example:
$ rmdir -p foo/bar/baz
will first remove baz/, then bar/ and finally foo/ thus removing the entire directory tree specified in the command argument.
rmdir will not remove a directory if it is not empty in UNIX. The rm
command will remove a directory and all its contents recursively. For example:
$ rm -r foo/bar/baz
$ rm -rf foo/bar/baz
DOS, OS/2, Windows, ReactOS
Normal usage is identical to Unix-like operating systems:
>rmdir name_of_directory
The equivalent command in
deltree
In later version of Windows:
>rd /s directory_name
Windows based on the NT kernel (XP, Vista, 7, 8, Server 2003/2008) are case insensitive, just like their earlier predecessors, unless two files of the same name and different case exist. Then case sensitivity applies when selecting which file to use, or if the case does not match either file, one may be chosen by Windows.
Having two files named the same with different case sensitivity is allowed either when Windows Services for Unix is installed or when the Windows Registry settings are set to allow it.
An example of the security risk is:
Using rd/rmdir and two directories with the same name and different case sensitivities exist, one of which contains valid data and/or programs, and the other contains incriminating materials and/or malware. If rd/rmdir gets executed without regard to case sensitivity and Windows chooses the legitimate folder to delete, the only folder left is the undesired one. Windows then uses this folder instead of the previously legitimate one to execute programs, and one may be led to believe it contains legitimate data.
See also
- List of Unix commands
- List of DOS commands
References
- ^ "Manual" (PDF). www.bitsavers.org. 1986. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-08-08. Retrieved 2020-09-12.
- ^ "Help page". www.jatomes.com. Retrieved 2020-09-12.
- ^ "Microsoft TechNet Rmdir article". 31 August 2016.
- ^ "reactos/reactos". GitHub. 3 January 2022.
- ISBN 0-7356-1812-7.
- ^ DR DOS 6.0 User Guide Optimisation and Configuration Tips
- ^ "Shell - KolibriOS wiki". wiki.kolibrios.org.
- ^ "Remove folder - MATLAB rmdir". www.mathworks.com.
- ^ "Function Reference: rmdir". octave.sourceforge.io.
Further reading
- Cooper, Jim (2001). Special Edition Using MS-DOS 6.22, Third Edition. ISBN 978-0789725738.
- Kathy Ivens; Brian Proffit (1993). OS/2 Inside & Out. ISBN 978-0078818714.
- Stanek, William R. (2008). Windows Command-Line Administrator's Pocket Consultant, 2nd Edition. ISBN 978-0735622623.
- McElhearn, Kirk (2006). The Mac OS X Command Line: Unix Under the Hood. ISBN 978-0470113851.
External links
- The Single UNIX Specification, Version 4 from The Open Group
– Shell and Utilities Reference,
- rmdir | Microsoft Docs