Editing Rm (Unix) (section)

=== Permissions ===
On most file systems, removing a file requires write and execute permissions on the containing directory. Some may be confused that permissions on the file to be removed are irrelevant. However, the GNU implementation confirms removing a write-protected file unless the -f option is used.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2454743/man-destroys-his-entire-company-with-a-five-character-bash-command|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416214235/http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2454743/man-destroys-his-entire-company-with-a-five-character-bash-command|url-status=unfit|archive-date=April 16, 2016|title=Linux rm command help and examples|date=24 January 2018|work=ComputerHope|access-date=24 January 2019}}</ref>

To remove a directory (using <code>-r</code>), its contents must be removed, recursively. This requires the user to have read, write and execute permissions to the directory (if it's not empty) and any non-empty subdirectories recursively. Read permission is needed to list the contents of the directory. This sometimes leads to an odd situation where a non-empty directory cannot be removed because the user doesn't have write permission to it and so cannot remove its contents, but if the same directory were empty, the user would be able to remove it.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/2082021/master-the-command-line-deleting-files-and-folders.html|title=Master the command line: Deleting files and folders|last=McElhearn|first=Kirk|date=2 January 2014|work=Macworld|access-date=24 January 2019}}</ref>

If a file resides in a directory with the [[sticky bit]] set, then removing the file requires the user to own the file.