Delete, trash and Prune

Delete

D or Del deletes the file under the cursor (in the tree, the directory, only if empty); Ctrl+D the tagged files. Xylem always asks first.

With delete_to_trash = true in the configuration, files and empty directories go to the system trash (FreeDesktop Trash on Linux, the Recycle Bin on Windows) instead of being removed. At the question, T sends them to the trash and P deletes permanently, whatever the setting. Shift+Del always deletes permanently.

Oops

Oops (O in the tree, or Ctrl+Z in both windows) restores what was last sent to the trash to where it was. With nothing trashed in this session, it offers the most recent item in the system trash.

Prune (Alt+P in the tree)

Deletes the directory with everything in it. Xylem logs the whole branch, shows how many files, directories and bytes will go, and asks you to type PRUNE (or the directory’s name, or Y, depending on prune_confirmation). It deletes the files and then the directories, from the deepest up, with progress and Esc to cancel. Symbolic links are removed without following them, and other mount points inside the branch are skipped (a USB drive mounted in there is not deleted). The tree’s root cannot be pruned. Prune always deletes permanently.