11 · The Command Line

cp / mv / rm

Copy, move, delete files

The core file commands: cp copies, mv moves or renames, rm deletes. rm is unforgiving — there's no trash can, and “rm -rf” erases an entire folder instantly and permanently.

Concrete example

“mv draft.txt final.txt” renames a file; “rm -rf build/” wipes the build folder and everything in it.

Why it matters

Everyday file handling — and “rm -rf” is the classic way people nuke their own work, so read twice before you run it.