Delete a File Using Java - GeeksforGeeks

24 Jan, 2022
Java provides methods to delete files using java programs. On the contrary to normal delete operations in any operating system, files being deleted using the java program are deleted permanently without being moved to the trash/recycle bin. 
1. Using java.io.File.delete() function: Deletes the file or directory denoted by this abstract pathname. 
Syntax: 
public boolean delete()
Returns: It returns true if and only if the file or the directory is successfully deleted; false otherwise
Java
// Java program to delete a fileimport java.io.*; public class Test {    public static void main(String[] args)    {        File file            = new File("C:\\Users\\Mayank\\Desktop\\1.txt");         if (file.delete()) {            System.out.println("File deleted successfully");        }        else {            System.out.println("Failed to delete the file");        }    }}
Output: 
File deleted successfully
2. Using java.nio.file.files.deleteifexists(Path p) method defined in Files package: This method deletes a file if it exists. It also deletes a directory mentioned in the path only if the directory is not empty. 
Syntax:
public static boolean deleteIfExists(Path path) throws IOException
Parameters: path – the path to the file to delete
Returns: It returns true if the file was deleted by this method; false if it could not be deleted because it did not exist.
Throws: 
DirectoryNotEmptyException – if the file is a directory and could not otherwise be deleted because the directory is not empty (optional specific exception)
IOException – if an I/O error occurs.
Java
// Java program to demonstrate delete using Files class import java.io.IOException;import java.nio.file.*; public class Test {    public static void main(String[] args)    {        try {            Files.deleteIfExists(                Paths.get("C:\\Users\\Mayank\\Desktop\\            445.txt"));        }        catch (NoSuchFileException e) {            System.out.println(                "No such file/directory exists");        }        catch (DirectoryNotEmptyException e) {            System.out.println("Directory is not empty.");        }        catch (IOException e) {            System.out.println("Invalid permissions.");        }         System.out.println("Deletion successful.");    }}
Output: 
Deletion successful.
This article is contributed by Mayank Kumar. If you like GeeksforGeeks and would like to contribute, you can also write an article using write.geeksforgeeks.org or mail your article to review-team@geeksforgeeks.org. See your article appearing on the GeeksforGeeks main page and help other Geeks. Please write comments if you find anything incorrect, or you want to share more information about the topic discussed above.
nishkarshgandhi
java-file-handling
Java-I/O
Java-Library
Java
School Programming
Java
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