Java provides methods to delete files using java programs. On the contrary to normal delete operations in any operating system, files being deleted using java program is deleted permanently without being moved to trash/recycle bin.
Following are the methods used to delete a file in Java:
Using java.io.File.delete() function: Deletes the file or directory denoted by this abstract path name.
Syntax:
public boolean delete()
Returns: true if and only if the file or
directory is successfully deleted; false otherwise
// Java program to delete a file
import java.io.*;
public class Test
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
File file = new File("C:Users1.txt");
if(file.delete())
{
System.out.println("File deleted successfully");
}
else
{
System.out.println("Failed to delete the file");
}
}
}
Output:
File deleted successfully
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: true if the file was deleted by this method;
false if the file 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 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
file2.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.