The Most Dangerous Linux Command Explained

Published on 3 Mar 2026, 23:00

Get a free 15-day trial of Odoo’s all-in-one business solution and see how it can make your life easier! Check it out at odoo.com/r/IXfS

Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group.

The rm -rf / command is one of the most dangerous things you can type on a Unix system - Riley explains what it does, why it exists, and how to protect yourself from accidentally nuking your computer.

Leave a reply with your requests for future episodes.

► GET MERCH: lttstore.com
► GET EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ON FLOATPLANE: lmg.gg/lttfloatplane
► SPONSORS, AFFILIATES, AND PARTNERS: lmg.gg/partners

FOLLOW US ELSEWHERE
---------------------------------------------------
Twitter: x.com/linustech
Facebook: facebook.com/LinusTech
Instagram: instagram.com/linustech
TikTok: tiktok.com/@linustech
Twitch: twitch.tv/linustech