(Resolved) – /bin/rm: Argument list too long

he error “/bin/rm: Argument list too long” is a common problem when working with large numbers of files in Linux. It occurs when you attempt to delete too many files at once, and is a limitation of the underlying operating system. In this article, we will discuss what causes this error, and explore ways to work around it to delete large numbers of files efficiently and without error.

The Causes

The “/bin/rm: Argument list too long” error is caused by the operating system’s limit on the number of arguments that can be passed to a command. When you attempt to delete too many files at once, the number of arguments passed to the “rm” command exceeds this limit, and the error is generated.

Advertisement

The Solutions for "rm: Argument list too long" Error

There are several solutions to the “/bin/rm: Argument list too long” error, including:

Using the “find” Command with “xargs”

The “find” command can be used to search for files, and the “xargs” command can be used to execute commands on the files found by “find”. To delete large numbers of files, you can use “find” to search for the files you want to delete, and then use “xargs” to pass the file names as arguments to the “rm” command.

For example:

find . -type f -name "*.txt" -print0 | xargs -0 rm 

Using the “parallel” Command

The “parallel” command is a tool that can be used to execute commands in parallel. To delete large numbers of files, you can use “parallel” to execute multiple instances of the “rm” command simultaneously.

For example:

find . -type f -name "*.txt" | parallel rm 

Using the “GNU parallel” Command

The “GNU parallel” command is a tool similar to “parallel”, but with more features and options. To delete large numbers of files, you can use “GNU parallel” to execute multiple instances of the “rm” command simultaneously.

For example:

find . -type f -name "*.txt" | parallel rm 

Conclusion

The “/bin/rm: Argument list too long” error can be a frustrating problem when working with large numbers of files in Linux. However, by using the “find” and “xargs” commands, or tools like “parallel” or “GNU parallel”, you can work around this issue and delete large numbers of files efficiently and without error. Understanding the causes and solutions to the “/bin/rm: Argument list too long” error is important for anyone who works with large numbers of files in Linux, and will help you avoid frustration and wasted time when deleting files.