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Asked: 2024-09-24T17:49:57+05:30 In:

What steps should I follow to fully uninstall Emacs from my Ubuntu system?

I’m in a bit of a sticky situation here and could really use some help from the community. I’ve been trying to figure out how to completely uninstall Emacs from my Ubuntu system, but it feels like I’m wading through a swamp of commands and options. I thought I’d ask around to see if anyone has a clear set of steps to follow, you know, straight from someone who’s been through the grind.

Firstly, I installed Emacs using the usual methods—like with apt-get and maybe some other package managers. Honestly, I can’t keep track of how I’ve installed all the packages I’ve tried out over the months. The thing is, Emacs was fun for a while, but I’ve noticed that it takes up quite a bit of space and is, let’s say, not really my jam anymore. I’d like to uninstall it, but I want to make sure I do it right and get rid of everything that’s related to it: configs, packages, the whole shebang.

So, if anyone’s got a step-by-step guide, that would be awesome! I’ve tried looking it up, but a lot of the info just seems scattered or assumes I already know what I’m doing. Do I need to remove configuration files from hidden folders in my home directory too? I think I read somewhere that Emacs stores user data in a .emacs folder or something, but I want to be sure I’m hitting everything, you know?

Also, what about any leftover dependencies? I don’t want my system to be cluttered with files that are just hanging around gathering dust. If there are any commands I should be cautious about executing, I’d love to hear about that too. Just trying to avoid the spiral into system chaos!

Thanks in advance for any insights or personal experiences with uninstalling Emacs! Your guidance would really help me navigate this process smoothly. Looking forward to your replies!

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    2 Answers

    1. Uninstalling Emacs from Ubuntu can feel a bit daunting if you’re not familiar with the commands, but I’ve got some steps that should help you clear it out completely!

      Step 1: Remove Emacs Using APT

      If you installed Emacs using apt-get, you can remove it with this command:

      sudo apt-get remove --purge emacs

      The --purge option will remove configuration files too (at least the ones managed by APT).

      Step 2: Cleanup Dependencies

      After uninstalling, it’s a good idea to clean up any packages that were installed as dependencies and are no longer needed:

      sudo apt-get autoremove

      Step 3: Delete Configuration Files

      Emacs does indeed store user data and configurations in hidden folders in your home directory. You can remove these by running:

      rm -rf ~/.emacs.d ~/.emacs

      This will get rid of the main configuration directory and the main config file if they exist.

      Step 4: Check Other Package Managers

      If you used other package managers (like snap or flatpak), make sure to remove Emacs from there as well. For example, if you used snap, try:

      sudo snap remove emacs

      And for flatpak:

      flatpak uninstall org.gnu.emacs

      Step 5: Search for Leftover Files

      It’s possible there are other leftover files. You can search for any remaining Emacs-related files with:

      find ~ -name "*emacs*"

      This will show you any files or folders named Emacs in your home directory. If you find anything you want to get rid of, just rm them carefully!

      Final Thoughts

      Just be cautious with any rm commands, especially with -rf. It’s powerful and can delete more than you want if you’re not careful.

      Hopefully, this helps you navigate through the uninstall process without any chaos! Good luck!

    2. To completely uninstall Emacs from your Ubuntu system, start by removing the application itself along with any packages that may not be needed anymore. If you installed Emacs using apt-get, you can use the following command: sudo apt-get remove --purge emacs. This command will not only uninstall Emacs but also remove configuration files associated with it. If you installed Emacs via other package managers like snap or flatpak, you’ll need to use the respective commands, such as sudo snap remove emacs or flatpak remove org.gnu.emacs. After uninstalling, it’s a good practice to clean up any unused dependencies that may remain by running sudo apt-get autoremove.

      Next, to ensure that you’re removing all traces of Emacs—including user configurations—you should delete its dotfiles in your home directory. Look for and remove any related directories or files, usually located in ~/.emacs and ~/.emacs.d/. You can clean these up with the commands rm -rf ~/.emacs ~/.emacs.d/. Be cautious when using the rm -rf command, as it will permanently delete files without confirmation. If you have any personal configurations or packages installed in these directories that you wish to keep, back them up before proceeding. By following these steps, you should successfully reclaim the space previously occupied by Emacs and ensure that no remnants clutter your system.

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