How to delete to trash from the shell in Ubuntu

The rm command is probably the most dangerous command to use from the shell in Linux. Deleting files and directories at the shell is a common task we do all day. But, one small mistake with rm can lead to disaster since it is hard to recover those deleted files. The question that begs then is: why not safely delete to the trash can, just like we do on the desktop?

Thankfully, that is possible thanks to trash-cli. It has commands to move files and directories to the trash can on your Ubuntu desktop.

Here is how I have set up my system to delete files to trash from the shell:

• First, install trash-cli from Ubuntu repositories:

$ sudo apt install trash-cli

• trash-cli has many commands: to trash, to empty the trash can, to list contents of the trash can and to restore. The only command I really need is trash-put, which moves files and directories to the trash can.

$ trash-put foobar.txt *.doc

• Since trash-put is a long command name, I have added an alias to my ~/.bash_aliases file that maps this command to a shorter name: can.

• Finally, you need to protect yourself from accidentally typing rm and losing files. And you need to be reminded to use trash-put whenever your finger memory types rm. To do this, create an alias in ~/.bash_aliases named rm that reminds you not to use it:

alias rm="echo Use trash-put or /bin/rm"

• For the rare cases where you actually need rm, it is still around. Use its full path to invoke it: /bin/rm. For example:

$ /bin/rm -rf dir_that_i_want_nuked

• DO NOT make an alias named rm that maps to trash-put. I have been burnt by this mistake! What happens is that you might need to switch to a new computer or a colleague’s computer for a short task and your finger memory types rm there thinking the files are going into the trash can.

Tried with: trash-cli 0.12.10.3 and Ubuntu 12.04 LTS