# Delete a file

> The file is deleted; after it its address answers `404`.

`DELETE https://api.refabric.com/v1/files/{ref}`

**Important**

- What is deleted: one produced file (`art:…`).
- What is NOT deleted: the record of the jobs that made or used it.
- An upload, a record or a library item answers `422 file_not_deletable`.

**Authentication.** A key with `files:write`: deleting cannot be undone.

**Common use cases**

- Remove a produced image you no longer want to keep.

**See also**

- `GET /v1/files/{ref}`

Authentication: `Authorization: Key $REFABRIC_API_KEY`, scope `files:write`.

## Path parameters

- `ref` (string, _required_)

## Header parameters

- `Refabric-Version` (string, _optional_, format: date) — The contract version you wrote against (a date). Absent: the current version.
- `X-Request-ID` (string, _optional_, max length 128) — Your own id for this request; we answer it back under X-Client-Request-ID.

## Response 200

Done: the answer is in the body.

- `file` (string, _required_) — The file deleted.
  Example: `art:3f2a`
- `deleted` (boolean, _required_) — Always `true`.
  Values: `true`
  Example: `true`

```json
{
  "file": "art:3f2a",
  "deleted": true
}
```

## Response 401

No valid API key was sent.

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "string",
    "type": "invalid_request",
    "message": "string",
    "field": "string",
    "retryable": true,
    "docs": "string",
    "request_id": "string",
    "ctx": {
      "required": 0,
      "balance": 0,
      "retry_after": 0
    },
    "input": null,
    "job_id": "string",
    "required": 0,
    "balance": 0
  }
}
```

## Response 403

Your key or your plan does not allow this.

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "string",
    "type": "invalid_request",
    "message": "string",
    "field": "string",
    "retryable": true,
    "docs": "string",
    "request_id": "string",
    "ctx": {
      "required": 0,
      "balance": 0,
      "retry_after": 0
    },
    "input": null,
    "job_id": "string",
    "required": 0,
    "balance": 0
  }
}
```

## Response 404

Nothing has this address.

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "string",
    "type": "invalid_request",
    "message": "string",
    "field": "string",
    "retryable": true,
    "docs": "string",
    "request_id": "string",
    "ctx": {
      "required": 0,
      "balance": 0,
      "retry_after": 0
    },
    "input": null,
    "job_id": "string",
    "required": 0,
    "balance": 0
  }
}
```

## Response 422

A field is missing or has a value this operation cannot use.

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "string",
    "type": "invalid_request",
    "message": "string",
    "field": "string",
    "retryable": true,
    "docs": "string",
    "request_id": "string",
    "ctx": {
      "required": 0,
      "balance": 0,
      "retry_after": 0
    },
    "input": null,
    "job_id": "string",
    "required": 0,
    "balance": 0
  }
}
```

## Response 429

Too many requests: wait for the number of seconds in the Retry-After header.

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "string",
    "type": "invalid_request",
    "message": "string",
    "field": "string",
    "retryable": true,
    "docs": "string",
    "request_id": "string",
    "ctx": {
      "required": 0,
      "balance": 0,
      "retry_after": 0
    },
    "input": null,
    "job_id": "string",
    "required": 0,
    "balance": 0
  }
}
```

## Response 500

Something went wrong on our side; retry, and quote the request id if it keeps happening.

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "string",
    "type": "invalid_request",
    "message": "string",
    "field": "string",
    "retryable": true,
    "docs": "string",
    "request_id": "string",
    "ctx": {
      "required": 0,
      "balance": 0,
      "retry_after": 0
    },
    "input": null,
    "job_id": "string",
    "required": 0,
    "balance": 0
  }
}
```

## Request

```python
import os
import requests

url = "https://api.refabric.com/v1/files/{ref}"

headers = {"Authorization": f"Key {os.environ['REFABRIC_API_KEY']}"}

response = requests.delete(url, headers=headers)

print(response.json())
```

```javascript
const url = 'https://api.refabric.com/v1/files/{ref}';
const options = {method: 'DELETE', headers: {Authorization: `Key ${process.env.REFABRIC_API_KEY}`}};

try {
    const response = await fetch(url, options);
    const data = await response.json();
    console.log(data);
} catch (error) {
    console.error(error);
}
```

```bash
curl --request DELETE \
    --url https://api.refabric.com/v1/files/{ref} \
    --header "Authorization: Key $REFABRIC_API_KEY"
```