Windows del /s equivalent in Linux
Finds matching files under a tree and deletes them.
del /s
find . -name "PATTERN" -type f -delete
find . -name "PATTERN" -type f -delete
find . -name "PATTERN" -type f -delete
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "del /s" is used to delete recursively by pattern. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "find . -name "PATTERN" -type f -delete". Finds matching files under a tree and deletes them. This reference is grouped under File Management → Deletion.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows del /s maps to find . -name "PATTERN" -type f -delete for this task. Treat this as a workflow mapping rather than a character-for-character syntax translation.
Portable across the compared distros
The Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch rows use the same command in this mapping. Package availability or defaults can still vary, so check the installed tool version when an option behaves differently.
For the broader concept behind this mapping, read Linux filesystem for Windows users.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Delete recursively by pattern
Finds matching files under a tree and deletes them.
find . -name "PATTERN" -type f -delete
Delete recursively by pattern
find --help
Show command help when supported
man find
Open the manual page when installed
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
find . -name "PATTERN" -type f -delete
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows equivalent: del /s
find . -name "PATTERN" -type f -deleteReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
find . -name "PATTERN" -type f -delete | Delete recursively by pattern |
find --help | Show command help when supported |
man find | Open the manual page when installed |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch all use "find . -name "PATTERN" -type f -delete" for this mapping. The command syntax shown here is portable across the three rows, although installed versions and system defaults can still vary.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | find . -name "PATTERN" -type f -delete |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | find . -name "PATTERN" -type f -delete |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | find . -name "PATTERN" -type f -delete |
Same command on this distribution. |
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