How do I find and delete directories recursively in a Linux file system? You can do this through command line tools. The details are as follows! You can search and delete directories using the find command, which is a very powerful tool that you can use to search and delete directories. Search directory:
find /path/to/search -type d -name "directory_name"
/path/to/search: specifies the start directory of the search.
-type d: specifies the search type as directory.
-name "directory_name" : specifies the name of the directory to search.
Delete a directory:
find /path/to/search -type d -name "directory_name" -exec rm -rf {} +
-exec rm -rf {} + : runs the rm -rf command for each directory found. The Rm -rf command is dangerous, deleting files and directories recursively and without prompting for confirmation. Before using the command, ensure that you fully understand the function of the command and ensure that important data is backed up.
You can also use a combination of find and xargs to delete directories. Sometimes the -exec argument to the find command has a limit on the number of arguments, in which case xargs can be used:
find /path/to/search -type d -name "directory_name" | xargs rm -rf
Use rsync to delete a directory. rsync is generally used to synchronize files, but it can also be used to delete directories:
rsync -av --delete /path/to/source/ /path/to/destination/
delete deletes files and directories in a destination that do not exist in the source directory.
If you already know the exact path of the directory to be deleted, you can directly use the rm command:
rm -rf /path/to/directory
Note the danger of the rm -rf command, which may accidentally delete important data.
Use the trash-cli command to safely delete the directory. trash-cli is a command line tool that safely moves files and directories to the recycle bin. Install trash-cli:
sudo apt-get install trash-cli # Debian/Ubuntu
sudo yum install trash-cli # CentOS/RHEL
Delete a directory using trash-cli:
trash-put /path/to/directory
This moves the directories to the recycle bin instead of permanently deleting them, giving them a chance to recover. Before deleting a VM, ensure that you fully understand the function of this command and have backed up all important data. If you are not sure, you can also first use the find command to search only directories, rather than performing a deletion operation, to check which directories may be affected.
Before deciding to delete, you can use the -i option (interactive mode) to confirm each deletion operation, such as rm -ri /path/to/directory.
To prevent data loss caused by misoperations, you can back up data before recursive search and deletion. If you can use the rsync command for backup, rsync is a very powerful tool that can be used for file and directory synchronization, but also for data backup:
rsync -av /path/to/source/ /path/to/destination/
The -a (archive) option indicates the archive mode. It retains the permissions, time stamps, and hard and soft links of original files.
The -v (verbose) option indicates the verbose mode, which displays detailed information about the synchronization process.
Incremental backup:
rsync -av --delete /path/to/source/ /path/to/destination/
The --delete option deletes files in the target directory that do not exist in the source directory.
You can also use the tar command. The tar command can be used to package files and directories, and is generally used together with compressed files. Packing and compression:
tar -czvf backup.tar.gz /path/to/source/
-c Creates a new archive file. -z indicates gzip compression. -v Indicates the detailed mode. -f Specifies the archive file name.
You can also use the cp command to copy files and directories:
cp -a /path/to/source/ /path/to/destination/
The -a (archive) option indicates the archive mode. It retains the permissions, time stamps, and hard and soft links of original files.
The dd command is a low-level disk copy tool that can be used to create disk images:
dd if=/dev/sdX of=/path/to/backup.img bs=4M
if indicates the input file (disk). The of represents the output file (image). bs indicates the block size.
Use a backup management tool such as Bacula: a network backup tool. Amanda: Another network backup tool. Duplicity: An encrypted backup tool.
You can also use the cloud storage service to automatically synchronize and back up data. For example, to implement periodic backup: Set a periodic backup plan to ensure data continuity. Multiple backups: Keep at least two backups, one locally and one in a remote location. Test restoration: Periodically test the recovery process of the backup to ensure the validity of the backup. Version control: Use a version control system (such as Git) to track changes to files. Encrypted backup: Backup data is encrypted to protect sensitive data.