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 or unlink .

ERRORS

^[CX] Refer to rmdir or unlink .

EXAMPLES

Removing Access to a File

The following example shows how to remove access to a file named /home/cnd/old_mods.

#include <stdio.h>


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

APPLICATION USAGE

None.

RATIONALE

None.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

None.

SEE ALSO

rmdir , unlink

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(), and if it is a directory, it is equivalent to rmdir().