NAME

remove — remove a file

SYNOPSIS

#include <stdio.h>

int remove(const char *path);

DESCRIPTION

[CX] The functionality described on this reference page is aligned with the ISO C standard. Any conflict between the requirements described here and the ISO C standard is unintentional. This volume of POSIX.1-2024 defers to the ISO C standard.

The remove () function shall cause the file named by the pathname pointed to by path to be no longer accessible by that name. A subsequent attempt to open that file using that name shall fail, unless it is created anew.

[CX] If path does not name a directory, remove ( path) shall be equivalent to unlink ( path).

If path names a directory, remove ( path) shall be equivalent to rmdir ( path).

RETURN VALUE

[CX] Refer to rmdir(3) or unlink(3).

ERRORS

[CX] Refer to rmdir(3) or unlink(3).

The following sections are informative.

EXAMPLES

#include <stdio.h>


int status;
...
status = remove("/home/cnd/old_mods");

APPLICATION USAGE

None.

RATIONALE

None.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

None.

SEE ALSO

rmdir(3), unlink(3)

XBD <stdio.h>

CHANGE HISTORY

First released in Issue 3. Included for alignment with the POSIX.1-1988 standard and the ISO C standard.

Issue 6

Extensions beyond the ISO C standard are marked.

The following new requirements on POSIX implementations derive from alignment with the Single UNIX Specification:

• The DESCRIPTION, RETURN VALUE, and ERRORS sections are updated so that if path is not a directory, remove () is equivalent to unlink(3), and if it is a directory, it is equivalent to rmdir(3).

End of informative text.