About files with "~" at the ends of them or "#" on both sides in Unix

The Emacs text editor creates these files when it performs backups and autosaves of your files. Whenever you start Emacs to edit a file, Emacs creates a backup with the same name, but with a ~ (tilde) tacked on to the end. Emacs creates the files that begin and end with a # (pound sign) when it executes an autosave. Normally, Emacs deletes the autosave when you exit; however, if Emacs crashes or its process is killed, then these files remain.

If you want to keep backups for your important files, then it's not a bad idea to keep these files around. However, if you delete them, under normal circumstances, you won't lose any information.

At Indiana University, for personal or departmental Linux or Unix systems support, see Get help for Linux or Unix at IU.

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Last modified on 2019-06-18 14:44:06.