Hello Everyone, I try to delete a directory by using the rm ./directory, but i am facing an error rmdir: failed to remove `directory': Directory not empty, I do not know why this happen, can anyone please help, how can i delete the directory.

Thank You

try to understand. You can only remove empty directories by that command, so first you need to remove everything from that dir.
Or you may try to force remove, but that can be dangerous (rm -rf <dir>)

1 members found this post helpful.

You may think the './directory' is empty but there must be hidden files or hidden directories lurking in there. Try:
to see what's in there that's preventing it from being removable.

Clean those up and you should be able to remove './directory'. Note, though, that the correct command to remove the directory is
If the 'find' command reveals that there are files under './directory' that you no longer need, you could issue
Warning: the above command recursively walks though './directory' and clobbers everything it finds providing that you own it. Obviously, you would want to be extremely careful using 'rm -frv' if you're logged in as root (where ownership doesn't matter), using it via 'sudo', etc.

I'd suggest reading the manpages for 'rm' and 'rmdir' and making sure the difference between is crystal clear.

Good luck... and be careful.

1 members found this post helpful.

You could use

See man rm for more.

First, have a look (for 'hidden' .files) with the -a ls switch

IF you choose the 'dangerous' rm -r
I strongly suggest you include the -i switch!!!

Welcome to beginning Linux @LQ!!!
You might want to look in z-lib.org or your local library or store or search the internet for beginning Linux tutorials. Also, some LQ'ers have good links in their .sig

Best wishes in your LinuxJourney.com

Hi thank you for the reply, I also searched this on the internet and found this post, and also the solution provided by the members helps me a lot. to delete the directory I follow this rm -rf directory_name/, this really help me.

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