Deleting all files from a folder using PHP? - php

Question

For example I had a folder called `Temp' and I wanted to delete or flush all files from this folder using PHP. Could I do this?

Answer 1

$files = glob('path/to/temp/*'); // get all file names
foreach($files as $file){ // iterate files
if(is_file($file)) {
unlink($file); // delete file
}
}
If you want to remove 'hidden' files like .htaccess, you have to use
$files = glob('path/to/temp/{,.}*', GLOB_BRACE);

Answer 2

If you want to delete everything from folder (including subfolders) use this combination of array_map, unlink and glob:
array_map( 'unlink', array_filter((array) glob("path/to/temp/*") ) );
This call can also handle empty directories ( thanks for the tip, #mojuba!)

Answer 3

Here is a more modern approach using the Standard PHP Library (SPL).
$dir = "path/to/directory";
if(file_exists($dir)){
$di = new RecursiveDirectoryIterator($dir, FilesystemIterator::SKIP_DOTS);
$ri = new RecursiveIteratorIterator($di, RecursiveIteratorIterator::CHILD_FIRST);
foreach ( $ri as $file ) {
$file->isDir() ? rmdir($file) : unlink($file);
}
}

Answer 4

foreach (new DirectoryIterator('/path/to/directory') as $fileInfo) {
if(!$fileInfo->isDot()) {
unlink($fileInfo->getPathname());
}
}

Answer 5

This code from http://php.net/unlink:
/**
* Delete a file or recursively delete a directory
*
* #param string $str Path to file or directory
*/
function recursiveDelete($str) {
if (is_file($str)) {
return #unlink($str);
}
elseif (is_dir($str)) {
$scan = glob(rtrim($str,'/').'/*');
foreach($scan as $index=>$path) {
recursiveDelete($path);
}
return #rmdir($str);
}
}

Answer 6

$dir = 'your/directory/';
foreach(glob($dir.'*.*') as $v){
unlink($v);
}

Answer 7

Assuming you have a folder with A LOT of files reading them all and then deleting in two steps is not that performing.
I believe the most performing way to delete files is to just use a system command.
For example on linux I use :
exec('rm -f '. $absolutePathToFolder .'*');
Or this if you want recursive deletion without the need to write a recursive function
exec('rm -f -r '. $absolutePathToFolder .'*');
the same exact commands exists for any OS supported by PHP.
Keep in mind this is a PERFORMING way of deleting files. $absolutePathToFolder MUST be checked and secured before running this code and permissions must be granted.

Answer 8

See readdir and unlink.
<?php
if ($handle = opendir('/path/to/files'))
{
echo "Directory handle: $handle\n";
echo "Files:\n";
while (false !== ($file = readdir($handle)))
{
if( is_file($file) )
{
unlink($file);
}
}
closedir($handle);
}
?>

Answer 9

The simple and best way to delete all files from a folder in PHP
$files = glob('my_folder/*'); //get all file names
foreach($files as $file){
if(is_file($file))
unlink($file); //delete file
}
Got this source code from here - http://www.codexworld.com/delete-all-files-from-folder-using-php/

Answer 10

unlinkr function recursively deletes all the folders and files in given path by making sure it doesn't delete the script itself.
function unlinkr($dir, $pattern = "*") {
// find all files and folders matching pattern
$files = glob($dir . "/$pattern");
//interate thorugh the files and folders
foreach($files as $file){
//if it is a directory then re-call unlinkr function to delete files inside this directory
if (is_dir($file) and !in_array($file, array('..', '.'))) {
echo "<p>opening directory $file </p>";
unlinkr($file, $pattern);
//remove the directory itself
echo "<p> deleting directory $file </p>";
rmdir($file);
} else if(is_file($file) and ($file != __FILE__)) {
// make sure you don't delete the current script
echo "<p>deleting file $file </p>";
unlink($file);
}
}
}
if you want to delete all files and folders where you place this script then call it as following
//get current working directory
$dir = getcwd();
unlinkr($dir);
if you want to just delete just php files then call it as following
unlinkr($dir, "*.php");
you can use any other path to delete the files as well
unlinkr("/home/user/temp");
This will delete all files in home/user/temp directory.

Answer 11

Another solution:
This Class delete all files, subdirectories and files in the sub directories.
class Your_Class_Name {
/**
* #see http://php.net/manual/de/function.array-map.php
* #see http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.rmdir.php
* #see http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.glob.php
* #see http://php.net/manual/de/function.unlink.php
* #param string $path
*/
public function delete($path) {
if (is_dir($path)) {
array_map(function($value) {
$this->delete($value);
rmdir($value);
},glob($path . '/*', GLOB_ONLYDIR));
array_map('unlink', glob($path."/*"));
}
}
}

Answer 12

Posted a general purpose file and folder handling class for copy, move, delete, calculate size, etc., that can handle a single file or a set of folders.
https://gist.github.com/4689551
To use:
To copy (or move) a single file or a set of folders/files:
$files = new Files();
$results = $files->copyOrMove('source/folder/optional-file', 'target/path', 'target-file-name-for-single-file.only', 'copy');
Delete a single file or all files and folders in a path:
$files = new Files();
$results = $files->delete('source/folder/optional-file.name');
Calculate the size of a single file or a set of files in a set of folders:
$files = new Files();
$results = $files->calculateSize('source/folder/optional-file.name');

Answer 13

<?
//delete all files from folder & sub folders
function listFolderFiles($dir)
{
$ffs = scandir($dir);
echo '<ol>';
foreach ($ffs as $ff) {
if ($ff != '.' && $ff != '..') {
if (file_exists("$dir/$ff")) {
unlink("$dir/$ff");
}
echo '<li>' . $ff;
if (is_dir($dir . '/' . $ff)) {
listFolderFiles($dir . '/' . $ff);
}
echo '</li>';
}
}
echo '</ol>';
}
$arr = array(
"folder1",
"folder2"
);
for ($x = 0; $x < count($arr); $x++) {
$mm = $arr[$x];
listFolderFiles($mm);
}
//end
?>

Answer 14

For me, the solution with readdir was best and worked like a charm. With glob, the function was failing with some scenarios.
// Remove a directory recursively
function removeDirectory($dirPath) {
if (! is_dir($dirPath)) {
return false;
}
if (substr($dirPath, strlen($dirPath) - 1, 1) != '/') {
$dirPath .= '/';
}
if ($handle = opendir($dirPath)) {
while (false !== ($sub = readdir($handle))) {
if ($sub != "." && $sub != ".." && $sub != "Thumb.db") {
$file = $dirPath . $sub;
if (is_dir($file)) {
removeDirectory($file);
} else {
unlink($file);
}
}
}
closedir($handle);
}
rmdir($dirPath);
}

Answer 15

public static function recursiveDelete($dir)
{
foreach (new \DirectoryIterator($dir) as $fileInfo) {
if (!$fileInfo->isDot()) {
if ($fileInfo->isDir()) {
recursiveDelete($fileInfo->getPathname());
} else {
unlink($fileInfo->getPathname());
}
}
}
rmdir($dir);
}

Answer 16

I've built a really simple package called "Pusheh". Using it, you can clear a directory or remove a directory completely (Github link). It's available on Packagist, also.
For instance, if you want to clear Temp directory, you can do:
Pusheh::clearDir("Temp");
// Or you can remove the directory completely
Pusheh::removeDirRecursively("Temp");
If you're interested, see the wiki.

Answer 17

I updated the answer of #Stichoza to remove files through subfolders.
function glob_recursive($pattern, $flags = 0) {
$fileList = glob($pattern, $flags);
foreach (glob(dirname($pattern).'/*', GLOB_ONLYDIR|GLOB_NOSORT) as $dir) {
$subPattern = $dir.'/'.basename($pattern);
$subFileList = glob_recursive($subPattern, $flags);
$fileList = array_merge($fileList, $subFileList);
}
return $fileList;
}
function glob_recursive_unlink($pattern, $flags = 0) {
array_map('unlink', glob_recursive($pattern, $flags));
}

Answer 18

This is a simple way and good solution. try this code.
array_map('unlink', array_filter((array) array_merge(glob("folder_name/*"))));