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delete-api

Permanently delete an API namespace and all its associated keys using the Unkey CLI. This action invalidates every key and cannot be undone.
2 min read

Permanently delete an API namespace and immediately invalidate all associated keys.

Use this for cleaning up development environments, retiring deprecated services, or removing unused resources. All keys in the namespace are immediately marked as deleted and will fail verification with code=NOT_FOUND.

Important: This operation is immediate and permanent. Verify you have the correct API ID before deletion. If delete protection is enabled, disable it first through the dashboard or API configuration.

Required permissions:

  • api.*.delete_api (to delete any API)
  • api.<api_id>.delete_api (to delete a specific API)
Note

See the API reference for the full HTTP endpoint documentation.

Usage#

Flags#

--api-idstringrequired#

Specifies which API namespace to permanently delete from your workspace. Must be a valid API ID that begins with api_ and exists within your workspace.

Before proceeding, ensure you have the correct API ID and understand that this action cannot be undone. If you need to migrate functionality, create replacement keys in a new API namespace and update client applications before deletion.

Global Flags#

FlagTypeDescription
--root-keystringOverride root key ($UNKEY_ROOT_KEY)
--api-urlstringOverride API base URL (default: https://api.unkey.com)
--configstringPath to config file (default: ~/.unkey/config.toml)
--outputstringOutput format. Use json for raw JSON
--bodystringSend this JSON string as the request body. You cannot combine it with request-building flags.

Examples#

Output#

Default output shows the request ID:

With --output=json, the full response envelope is returned: