4.53 rename—rename a file

Synopsis

#include <stdio.h>
int rename(const char *old, const char *new);

Description
Use rename to establish a new name (the string at new) for a file now known by the string at old. After a successful rename, the file is no longer accessible by the string at old.

If rename fails, the file named *old is unaffected. The conditions for failure depend on the host operating system.

Returns
The result is either 0 (when successful) or -1 (when the file could not be renamed).

Portability
ANSI C requires rename, but only specifies that the result on failure be nonzero. The effects of using the name of an existing file as *new may vary from one implementation to another.

Supporting OS subroutines required: link, unlink, or rename.