RMDIR(1)                    General Commands Manual                   RMDIR(1)

NAME
     rmdir – remove directories

SYNOPSIS
     rmdir [-pv] directory ...

DESCRIPTION
     The rmdir utility removes the directory entry specified by each directory
     argument, provided it is empty.

     Arguments are processed in the order given.  In order to remove both a
     parent directory and a subdirectory of that parent, the subdirectory must
     be specified first so the parent directory is empty when rmdir tries to
     remove it.

     The following option is available:

     -p      Each directory argument is treated as a pathname of which all
             components will be removed, if they are empty, starting with the
             last most component.  (See rm(1) for fully non-discriminant
             recursive removal.)

     -v      Be verbose, listing each directory as it is removed.

EXIT STATUS
     The rmdir utility exits with one of the following values:

     0       Each directory entry specified by a directory operand referred to
             an empty directory and was removed successfully.

     >0      An error occurred.

EXAMPLES
     Remove the directory foobar, if it is empty:

           $ rmdir foobar

     Remove all directories up to and including cow, stopping at the first
     non-empty directory (if any):

           $ rmdir -p cow/horse/monkey

SEE ALSO
     rm(1)

STANDARDS
     The rmdir utility is expected to be IEEE Std 1003.2 (“POSIX.2”)
     compatible.

HISTORY
     A rmdir command appeared in Version 1 AT&T UNIX.

macOS 15.2                      March 15, 2013                      macOS 15.2