Windows forfiles equivalent in Linux
Finds files by criteria and runs a command on them.
forfiles
find . -mtime +7 -exec rm {} \;
find . -mtime +7 -exec rm {} \;
find . -mtime +7 -exec rm {} \;
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "forfiles" is used to run command on matched files. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "find . -mtime +7 -exec rm {} \;". Finds files by criteria and runs a command on them. This reference is grouped under Terminal & Shell Scripting → Loops.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows forfiles maps to find . -mtime +7 -exec rm {} \; 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 command-line basics.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Run command on matched files
Finds files by criteria and runs a command on them.
find . -mtime +7 -exec rm {} \;
Run command on matched files
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 . -mtime +7 -exec rm {} \;
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows equivalent: forfiles
find . -mtime +7 -exec rm {} \;Reference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
find . -mtime +7 -exec rm {} \; | Run command on matched files |
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 . -mtime +7 -exec rm {} \;" 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 . -mtime +7 -exec rm {} \; |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | find . -mtime +7 -exec rm {} \; |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | find . -mtime +7 -exec rm {} \; |
Same command on this distribution. |
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