GEdit creates hidden files with tilde (~)

Question

When I use gedit, my preferred text editor, to save or open a file not previously used in gedit, it creates a hidden file with the same name as the edited file followed by a tilde (e.g. myscript.py has a corresponding hidden myscript.py~). What is the purpose of these files, and if they are not necessary how may I delete them?

Answer 1

Those are backup files. Yes I guess you can delete them, or just stop gedit from creating them in the first place.

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