[fs.op.remove]

# 31 Input/output library [[input.output]](./#input.output)

## 31.12 File systems [[filesystems]](filesystems#fs.op.remove)

### 31.12.13 Filesystem operation functions [[fs.op.funcs]](fs.op.funcs#fs.op.remove)

#### 31.12.13.31 Remove [fs.op.remove]

[🔗](#lib:remove,path)

`bool filesystem::remove(const path& p);
bool filesystem::remove(const path& p, error_code& ec) noexcept;
`

[1](#1)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/iostreams.tex#L18439)

*Effects*: If exists(symlink_status(p, ec)), the file p is
 removed as if by POSIX remove[.](#1.sentence-1)

[*Note [1](#note-1)*:

A symbolic link is itself removed, rather than the file it
 resolves to[.](#1.sentence-2)

— *end note*]

[2](#2)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/iostreams.tex#L18448)

*Postconditions*: exists(symlink_status(p)) is false[.](#2.sentence-1)

[3](#3)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/iostreams.tex#L18452)

*Returns*: true if a file p has been removed and false otherwise[.](#3.sentence-1)

[*Note [2](#note-2)*:

Absence of a file p is not an error[.](#3.sentence-2)

— *end note*]

[4](#4)

[#](http://github.com/Eelis/draft/tree/9adde4bc1c62ec234483e63ea3b70a59724c745a/source/iostreams.tex#L18459)

*Throws*: As specified in [[fs.err.report]](fs.err.report "31.12.5 Error reporting")[.](#4.sentence-1)