In Linux (or Unix), to delete all files by an extension name, you can use the rm
command, for example, like so:
rm *.pdf
In the example above, the wildcard (*
) together with the file extension indicates that all filenames should be deleted that have a ".pdf
" file extension.
You could also partially provide the filename that starts-with, ends-with or contains a particular word:
rm foo*.pdf # remove all "pdf" files that start with "foo" rm *foo.pdf # remove all "pdf" files that end with "foo" rm *foo*.pdf # remove all "pdf" files that contain "foo"
To add more utility to file deletion via the rm
command, you can use one or more of the following flags:
-i # confirm before deleting each file -f # remove without confirmation, regardless of the file's permissions -v # be verbose (i.e. show files as they're removed)
If -f
and -i
flags are used together then the -f
option overrides the -i
option.
For example, if you would like to be asked for confirmation before deletion of each file, then you could use the -i
flag, like so:
rm -i *.pdf
If you would like the files to be removed without confirmation (regardless of the file's permissions), whilst showing the file names as they're deleted, then you could use -f
and -v
together, for example, like so:
rm -fv *.pdf
This post was published by Daniyal Hamid. Daniyal currently works as the Head of Engineering in Germany and has 20+ years of experience in software engineering, design and marketing. Please show your love and support by sharing this post.