# std::filesystem::remove, std::filesystem::remove_all

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< cpp‎ | filesystem

Defined in header `<filesystem>` |  |
bool remove( const std::filesystem::path & p ); | (1) | (since C++17)
bool remove( const std::filesystem::path & p, std::error_code & ec ) noexcept; | (2) | (since C++17)
std::uintmax_t remove_all( const std::filesystem::path & p ); | (3) | (since C++17)
std::uintmax_t remove_all( const std::filesystem::path & p, std::error_code & ec ); | (4) | (since C++17)

1,2) The file or empty directory identified by the path p is deleted as if by the POSIX `remove`. Symlinks are not followed (symlink is removed, not its target).
3,4) Deletes the contents of p (if it is a directory) and the contents of all its subdirectories, recursively, then deletes p itself as if by repeatedly applying the POSIX `remove`. Symlinks are not followed (symlink is removed, not its target).

### Parameters

p | - | path to delete
ec | - | out-parameter for error reporting in the non-throwing overload.

### Return value

1,2) true if the file was deleted, false if it did not exist. The overload that takes `error_code&` argument returns false on errors.
3,4) Returns the number of files and directories that were deleted (which may be zero if p did not exist to begin with). The overload that takes `error_code&` argument returns static_cast< std::uintmax_t >(-1) on error.

### Exceptions

Any overload not marked `noexcept` may throw std::bad_alloc if memory allocation fails.

1,3) Throws std::filesystem::filesystem_error on underlying OS API errors, constructed with p as the first path argument and the OS error code as the error code argument.
2,4) Sets a std::error_code & parameter to the OS API error code if an OS API call fails, and executes ec. `clear` () if no errors occur.

### Notes

On POSIX systems, this function typically calls `unlink` and `rmdir` as needed, on Windows `DeleteFileW` and `RemoveDirectoryW`.

If p did not exist, this function returns false and does not report an error.

### Example

Run this code

    #include <cstdint>
    #include <filesystem>
    #include <fstream>
    #include <iostream>

    int main()
    {
        namespace fs = std::filesystem;
        std::cout << std::boolalpha;

        fs::path tmp{std::filesystem::temp_directory_path()};

        const auto O_O{"O_O"};
        std::ofstream{tmp / O_O} << O_O; // creates file containing O_O
        std::cout << "remove(): " << fs::remove(tmp / O_O) << '\n'; // success
        std::cout << "remove(): " << fs::remove(tmp / O_O) << '\n'; // fail

        std::filesystem::create_directories(tmp / "abcdef/example");
        const std::uintmax_t n{fs::remove_all(tmp / "abcdef")};
        std::cout << "remove_all(): " << n << " files or directories\n";
    }

Possible output:

    remove(): true
    remove(): false
    remove_all(): 2 files or directories

### Defect reports

The following behavior-changing defect reports were applied retroactively to previously published C++ standards.

DR | Applied to | Behavior as published | Correct behavior
--- | --- | --- | ---
LWG 3014 | C++17 | `error_code` overload of `remove_all` marked noexcept but can allocate memory | noexcept removed

### See also

remove | erases a file (function)

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