Beginner File Removal in WordPress tips

Basics of rm for File Deletion

Delete a Single File: Simplify your space by removing individual files. rm filename.txt

Bulk File Deletion: Efficiently clear out multiple files at once.

rm filename1.txt filename2.txt

Wipe All .txt Files: Remove every .txt file within your current directory for a clean sweep. rm *.txt

rm Options for Enhanced Control

Interactive Mode -i Ensure accuracy by confirming each file deletion. rm -i filename.txt

Force Deletion -f Streamline removals without prompts, ideal for scripts. rm -f filename.txt

Verbose Output -v Gain insights with a detailed report of each deletion. rm -v filename*.txt

Directory Deletion -d Remove empty directories rm -d directoryname/

Note: This works only for empty directories. For non-empty directories, incorporate the r flag.

Recursive Removal -r

Clear a directory and its contents, for major cleanups.

rm -r directoryname/

Combining Options

Mix options for tailored operations, like deleting all .png files with confirmation and a progress report.

rm -iv *.png

remove filename01.png? y
filename01.png removed
remove filename02.png? y
filename02.png removed
...

Forceful Recursive Removal -rf

Use this to bypass prompts when deleting non-empty directories

rm -rf directoryname/

Pairing rm with Other Commands

Clearing Out Old Files

Combine find with rm to locate and delete files older than a specific period, displaying each file as it’s removed.

find directoryname* -type f -mtime +28 -exec rm ‘{}’ ‘;’ -print

This command identifies all files matching your criteria, replacing {} with each found file. The semicolon ; concludes the command sequence for -exec, and -print is a find option, not part of the executed rm.

Summary

Remember to be careful with options like -rf, to avoid unintended deletions. You can use PIT machine to restore unintentionally deleted files