2026-09-01
bup-rm - remove references to archive content
bup rm [-#|--verbose] <branch|save…>
bup rm removes the indicated branches (backup
sets) and saves. By itself, this command does not delete any
actual data (nor recover any storage space), but it may make it very
difficult or impossible to refer to the deleted items, unless there are
other references to them (e.g. tags).
A subsequent garbage collection by bup gc may
permanently delete data that is no longer reachable from the remaining
branches or tags and reclaim the related storage space. (The same would
apply to a git gc on the repository, but the safety of
running git gc on a bup repository has not been carefully
evaluated, and should be avoided.)
If you are familiar with git(1), removing branches is
similar to git branch -D BRANCH and removing saves is like
a git-rebase --interactive that removes commits.
WARNING: This is one of the few bup commands that modifies your archive in intentionally destructive ways.
# Delete the backup set (branch) foo and a save in bar.
$ bup rm /foo /bar/2014-10-21-214720
bup-gc(1), bup-save(1),
bup-fsck(1), and bup-tag(1)
Part of the bup(1) suite.