rm -rf /path/to/delete/ * Note the space between the last / and the * This will recursively remove the directory /path/to/delete and remove every file/directo

rm -rf /path/to/delete/ * Note the space between the last / and the * This will recursively remove the directory /path/to/delete and remove every file/directory that matches * in the current directory where 'rm' is being run. When what was most likely meant was: rm -rf /path/to/delete/* Note the lack of a space between the last / and . This will remove all files that match that reside in the /path/to/delete/ directory.