What permissions are needed to delete files in linux
Jul 11, 2023 pm 01:26 PM
Deleting a file in Linux requires all permissions of the folder where it is located, namely read, write, and execute. Because the process of locating this file requires entering the folder, even if you use a method similar to rm /xxx/fle, the folder will also be entered within the system, so you must have execution permissions on the folder, and then read permissions are required to read the folder contents. , and finally delete the file. Since the file is part of the superior folder, it requires write permission on the folder.
The operating environment of this article: Linux 5.18.14 system, DELL G3 computer.
Linux is a widely used open source operating system known for its stability, security and customizability. In Linux systems, file deletion is a common operation because users may need to empty folders or delete files that are no longer needed. However, to successfully delete a file, the user needs the appropriate permissions. This article will discuss the permissions required to delete files in Linux.
You must have all the permissions of the folder where the file is located, which means the permissions to read (r) write (w) execute (x, for the folder, enter), because the process of locating this file is You need to enter the folder. Even if you use a method like rm /xxx/fle, you will also enter the folder inside the system, so you need to have x permissions on the folder, and then you need r permissions to read the folder contents, and finally delete the file. The file is part of the parent folder, so it needs w permissions on the folder.
It is worth noting that when you delete a file after the permissions of the upper-level folder are configured, you can delete the file without any permissions on the file. However, if you want to edit and read the file content, you still need to have rw permissions on the file. .
In Linux, files and directories have corresponding permission settings. Permissions are divided into three main categories: User (Owner), Group (Group) and Other Users (Others). Each category has three permission flags, namely Read, Write and Execute. These permission flags are used to control whether users can operate files, including viewing file contents, modifying file contents, and executing files.
For deleting files, the user needs to have write permissions. Only users with write permissions can modify and delete files. If the file owner has write permission, he can delete his file at any time. But if the owner of the file does not have write permission, then he cannot delete his file unless he is the root user. The root user is a user with super privileges in the Linux system. He can have complete control over every file in the system.
In addition, the user also needs to have write permission to the directory where the file is located. Because deleting a file is actually an operation of modifying the directory where the file is located, the user needs to have permission to make changes to the directory. If the user does not have write permissions for the directory, then he cannot delete the files in it. It should be noted that even if the user has write permissions on the file, the file cannot be deleted if the related directory does not have write permissions.
When users want to delete a file, they can use command line tools or graphical interfaces to operate. If using command line tools, you can use the "rm" command to delete files. For example, to delete a file named "example.txt", enter the following command in the terminal:
rm example.txt
If the file exists and the user has the correct delete permissions, the file will be permanently deleted.
In addition, users can also use the "rmdir" command to delete empty directories. Note that the "rmdir" command can only delete empty directories. If there are files or other subdirectories in the directory, the deletion operation will fail.
It should be noted that deleting files is an irreversible operation. Once a file is deleted, it cannot be recovered. Therefore, before deleting files, users should carefully consider whether they really need to delete files to avoid accidentally deleting important data.
To sum up, deleting files in a Linux system requires two main permissions: write permissions for the file and write permissions for the directory where the file is located. Users can use command line tools or graphical interfaces to perform deletion operations. Deleting files is an irreversible operation. Users should carefully consider whether they really need to delete files.
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