rmdir

Overview

The rmdir command removes empty directories. It’s a safer alternative to rm -r as it only removes directories that contain no files or subdirectories.

Syntax

rmdir [options] directory...

Common Options

Option Description
-p Remove directory and its ancestors
--ignore-fail-on-non-empty Ignore directories containing files
-v Verbose mode
--parents Remove directory and its ancestors
--help Display help message
--version Output version information

Key Use Cases

  1. Remove empty directories
  2. Clean up directory structure
  3. Remove directory hierarchies
  4. Safe directory removal
  5. Directory structure verification

Examples with Explanations

Example 1: Basic Usage

rmdir empty_directory

Remove a single empty directory

Example 2: Remove Parent Directories

rmdir -p parent/child/grandchild

Remove nested empty directories

Example 3: Verbose Removal

rmdir -v directory

Show what’s being done

Understanding Output

  • No output by default
  • With -v:
    • ‘rmdir: removing directory, directory_name’
  • Error messages for:
    • Directory not empty
    • No such file or directory
    • Permission denied
    • Not a directory

Common Usage Patterns

  1. Remove multiple directories:

    rmdir dir1 dir2 dir3

  2. Remove directory tree:

    rmdir -p a/b/c

  3. Check if empty:

    rmdir directory 2>/dev/null

Performance Analysis

  • Fast operation
  • Directory entry updates
  • Parent directory modification
  • Permission checking
  • Error handling overhead

Additional Resources

Safety Features

  • Only removes empty directories
  • Prevents accidental deletion of files
  • Can remove directory hierarchies safely
  • Provides clear error messages
  • No force option available