[Bash tip] Safer 'rm -rf' command

rmrf.sh

#!/bin/sh

scriptName=${0##*/}

if [ $# = 0 ] ; then
    echo "Wrapper script for the dangerous 'rm -rf'"
    echo "Usage : $scriptName [folder to delete]"
    exit 0
fi

echo "$scriptName : Are you sure if you want to delete the following path? (y or n)"

printf "$(tput setaf 6)    %s\n" "$@"

tput sgr 0

ok=no

read ok

if [ ${ok:0} = 'y' ] ; then
    for p in "$@" ; do
        if [ "${p:0}" = '/' ] ; then
            echo "$scriptName : Too Dangerous!!! (trying to delete a root level folder)"
            echo "$scriptName : aborted..."
            exit 1
        elif [ "$p" = '..' -o "$p" = '.' ] ; then
            echo "$scriptName : Too Dangerous!!! (trying to delete \"$p\")"
            echo "$scriptName : aborted..."
            exit 1
        elif [ -f "$p" ] ; then
            rm -rf "$p"
            echo "$scriptName : \"$p\" (file) deleted..."
        elif [ -d "$p" ] ; then
            rm -rf "$p"
            echo "$scriptName : \"$p\" (folder) deleted..."
        else
            echo "$scriptName : \"$p\" not found..." 
        fi
    done
else
    echo "$scriptName : aborted..."
    exit 1
fi

Rationale

rm -rf is convenient, but way dangerous unless you are super careful!

For example, say you wanted to do rm -rf ../usr, but you typed rm -rf .. /usr by accident! (Note a space between .. and /usr)

The possibility that you mistakenly insert a space is not so high, however, funny things happen all the time day to day.

This script basically does rm -rf, namely deleting arbitrary files and folders (and all of their sub-contents), but it is a lot safer.

It will abort the task when you (ACCIDENTALLY!) attempt to do the following things:

• rmrf.sh /tmp (folder/files starting with a slash)
• rmrf.sh .. (the parent directory)
• rmrf.sh . (the current directory)

Also, it will wait for your confirmation before deleting anything.