RMDIR(1) User Commands RMDIR(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

rmdir - remove empty directories

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**rmdir** \[*OPTION*]... *DIRECTORY*...

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Remove the DIRECTORY(ies), if they are empty.

[**--ignore-fail-on-non-empty**](#ignore)

ignore each failure to remove a non-empty directory

[**-p, --parents**](#p,)

remove DIRECTORY and its ancestors; e.g., 'rmdir **-p** a/b' is similar to 'rmdir a/b a'

[**-v, --verbose**](#v,)

output a diagnostic for every directory processed

[**--help**](#help)

display this help and exit

[**--version**](#version)

output version information and exit

# [AUTHOR](#AUTHOR)

Written by David MacKenzie.

# [REPORTING BUGS](#REPORTING_BUGS)

Report bugs to: <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.  
Report any translation bugs to: <https://translationproject.org/team/>.  
GNU coreutils home page: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>  
General help using GNU software: <https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>

# [COPYRIGHT](#COPYRIGHT)

Copyright © 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.  
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**rmdir**(2)](/man/os/coreutils/rmdir.2)

Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/rmdir>  
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) rmdir invocation'

October 2026 GNU coreutils 9.12

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Document: rmdir(1) from coreutils 9.12-r6 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/coreutils.git