{"id":1251,"date":"2023-03-29T11:39:26","date_gmt":"2023-03-29T04:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/csharptutorial.net\/?page_id=1251"},"modified":"2023-03-30T14:16:43","modified_gmt":"2023-03-30T07:16:43","slug":"csharp-delete-directory","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.csharptutorial.net\/csharp-file\/csharp-delete-directory\/","title":{"rendered":"C# Delete Directory"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Summary<\/strong>: in this tutorial, you’ll learn how to delete a directory using the Directory.Delete()<\/code><\/code> static method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction to the C# Directory.Delete() static method<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Directory.Delete()<\/code><\/code><\/code><\/code> static method allows you to delete an empty directory from a specified path. Here’s the syntax of the Directory.Delete()<\/code><\/code><\/code><\/code> method:<\/p>\n\n\n

public<\/span> static<\/span> void<\/span> Delete<\/span> (\n   string<\/span> path\n<\/span>)<\/span>;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> C#<\/span> (<\/span>cs<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
In this syntax, the path<\/code> specifies the name of the empty directory to delete. The directory must be empty and writable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you want to delete a directory and all of its contents including subdirectories and files, you use an overload of the Directory.Delete()<\/code><\/code> method:<\/p>\n\n\n
public<\/span> static<\/span> void<\/span> Delete<\/span> (\n   string<\/span> path, \n   bool<\/span> recursive\n<\/span>)<\/span>;<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> C#<\/span> (<\/span>cs<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
In this overload, if you set the recursive<\/code> to true<\/code>, the Delete()<\/code> method will delete the directory specified by the path and all of its contents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But if you set the recursive<\/code> to false<\/code>, the method behaves like the one without the recursive<\/code> parameter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Using Directory.Delete() method to delete a directory example<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Let’s take some examples of using the Directory.Delete()<\/code><\/code> method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1) Using C# the Directory.Delete() method to delete an empty directory<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The following program demonstrates how to use the Directory.Delete()<\/code><\/code> method to delete an empty directory 2023<\/code> in the C:\\backup<\/code> directory:<\/p>\n\n\n
using<\/span> static<\/span> System.Console;\n\nstring<\/span> backupDir = @\"C:\\backup\\\"<\/span>;\nvar<\/span> targetDir = Path.Combine(backupDir, \"2023\"<\/span>);\n\ntry<\/span>\n{\n    Write($\"Deleteing the directory {targetDir}<\/span>...\"<\/span>);\n    Directory.Delete(targetDir);\n    WriteLine(\"done\"<\/span>);\n}\ncatch<\/span> (IOException ex)\n{\n    WriteLine(ex.Message);\n}<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> C#<\/span> (<\/span>cs<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Output:<\/p>\n\n\n
Deleteing the directory C:\\backup\\2023.<\/span>..done<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> C#<\/span> (<\/span>cs<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
2) Using C# Directory.Delete() method to delete a directory and all of its contents<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The following program demonstrates how to delete directory 2023<\/code> and all subdirectories and files in directory 2023<\/code> using the Directory.Delete<\/code>()<\/code> method:<\/p>\n\n\n
using<\/span> static<\/span> System.Console;\n\nstring<\/span> backupDir = @\"C:\\backup\\\"<\/span>;\nvar<\/span> targetDir = Path.Combine(backupDir, \"2023\"<\/span>);\n\ntry<\/span>\n{\n    Write($\"Deleteing the directory {targetDir}<\/span> and its contents...\"<\/span>);\n    Directory.Delete(targetDir, true<\/span>);\n    WriteLine(\"done\"<\/span>);\n}\ncatch<\/span> (IOException ex)\n{\n    WriteLine(ex.Message);\n}<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> C#<\/span> (<\/span>cs<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Output:<\/p>\n\n\n
Deleteing the directory C:\\backup\\2023<\/span> and its contents...done<\/code><\/span>Code language:<\/span> C#<\/span> (<\/span>cs<\/span>)<\/span><\/small><\/pre>\n\n\n
Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  • Use the Directory.Delete()<\/code><\/code> method to delete an empty directory or a directory and all of its contents like subdirectories and files.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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