RMDIR(1) | General Commands Manual | RMDIR(1)

# NAME

`rmdir` — remove directories

# SYNOPSIS

`rmdir` | [`-p`] directory ...

# DESCRIPTION

The `rmdir` utility removes the directory entry specified by each directory argument, provided it is empty.

Arguments are processed in the order given. In order to remove both a parent directory and a subdirectory of that parent, the subdirectory must be specified first so the parent directory is empty when `rmdir` tries to remove it.

The options are as follows:

`-p`
  Each directory argument is treated as a pathname of which all components will be removed, if they are empty, starting with the last most component. (See rm(1) for fully non-discriminant recursive removal.)

# EXIT STATUS

The `rmdir` utility exits with one of the following values:

0
  Each directory argument referred to an empty directory and was removed successfully.
>0
  An error occurred.

# EXAMPLES

Remove the directory foobar, if it is empty:

`$ rmdir foobar`

Remove all directories up to and including cow, stopping at the first non-empty directory (if any):

`$ rmdir -p cow/horse/monkey`

# SEE ALSO

rm(1), rmdir(2)

# STANDARDS

The `rmdir` utility is compliant with the IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”) specification.

# HISTORY

A `rmdir` command appeared in Version 1 AT&T UNIX.

December 3, 2010 | Debian