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MilesCranmer

MilesCranmer/rip2

A safer, Rust-based replacement for rm that moves deleted files to a recoverable graveyard instead of erasing them.

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What is it?

rip2 is a command-line tool for deleting files and directories. Instead of permanently removing them, it moves deleted items into a graveyard directory, typically under /tmp/graveyard-$USER, keeping their absolute paths so they can be restored. If two deleted items share the same path, the newer one is saved as a numbered backup, so no data is overwritten.

The interface is simple: files and directories are removed without needing -rf, and the -u flag restores the most recent deletion. Other options include -i to inspect a target before burying it, -s to list items deleted from the current directory, and -d to permanently empty the graveyard. The graveyard location can be changed with a flag, the RIP_GRAVEYARD environment variable, or XDG_DATA_HOME.

rip2 is a maintained fork of nivekuil/rip. It supports Linux, macOS and Windows, and can be installed via Homebrew, Cargo, Nix or prebuilt binaries. It does not implement the xdg-trash specification.

Key features

  • 01Moves deleted files to a graveyard keyed by absolute path for recovery.
  • 02Restores the last deletion or specific files with rip -u.
  • 03Renames conflicting deletions as numbered backups instead of overwriting.
  • 04Shows size and content preview of targets before deleting with -i.
  • 05Lists files deleted from the current directory with -s.
  • 06Generates shell completions via clap.

Use cases

  • Replacing rm in daily shell work to avoid accidental permanent deletion.
  • Recovering files removed by mistake from a scripted or interactive session.
  • Cleaning up directories while keeping a recoverable record of what was deleted.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install with Homebrew

    brew install rip2
  2. 2

    Delete files and directories

    rip file.txt dir1 dir2
  3. 3

    Undo the last deletion

    rip -u

Things to know

  • Files are moved to a graveyard in /tmp by default, which may be on a RAM-backed filesystem and fill memory with large deletions.
  • It does not implement the xdg-trash spec, so it will not integrate with desktop trash bins.

Topics

#rm#file-deletion#cli#rust#command-line#recovery#safety

FAQ

What is rip2?
A safer, Rust-based replacement for rm that moves deleted files to a recoverable graveyard instead of erasing them. rip2 is a command-line tool for deleting files and directories. Instead of permanently removing them, it moves deleted items into a graveyard directory, typically under /tmp/graveyard-$USER, keeping their absolute paths so they can be restored. If two deleted items share the same path, the newer one is saved as a numbered backup, so no data is overwritten.
Is rip2 free to use? What license does it have?
rip2 is open source under the GPL-3.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is rip2 still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to rip2 was on Oct 4, 2026.
What can I use rip2 for?
Replacing rm in daily shell work to avoid accidental permanent deletion. Recovering files removed by mistake from a scripted or interactive session. Cleaning up directories while keeping a recoverable record of what was deleted.
How do I install rip2?
Install with Homebrew: brew install rip2 Delete files and directories: rip file.txt dir1 dir2 Undo the last deletion: rip -u
Where can I get rip2?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/MilesCranmer/rip2

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