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Delete Bucket

Deletes an empty S3 bucket from your AWS account or S3-compatible storage service.

Common Properties​

  • Name - The custom name of the node.
  • Color - The custom color of the node.
  • Delay Before (sec) - Waits in seconds before executing the node.
  • Delay After (sec) - Waits in seconds after executing node.
  • Continue On Error - Automation will continue regardless of any error. The default value is false.
info

If the ContinueOnError property is true, no error is caught when the project is executed, even if a Catch node is used.

Inputs​

  • Client Id - The client connection ID from the Connect node. Optional if using credentials directly.
  • Bucket Name - The name of the bucket to delete. The bucket must be empty before it can be deleted.

Options​

  • End Point - S3 endpoint URL. Required only if using credentials directly instead of Client ID.
  • Access Key Id - AWS Access Key ID credential. Optional - use this instead of Client ID for direct authentication.
  • Secret Key Access - AWS Secret Access Key credential. Optional - use this instead of Client ID for direct authentication.

How It Works​

The Delete Bucket node permanently removes an empty S3 bucket. When executed, the node:

  1. Retrieves the S3 client using either the Client ID or creates a new client from credentials
  2. Validates that the bucket name is provided and not empty
  3. Sends a request to S3 to delete the specified bucket
  4. Completes successfully once the bucket is deleted

Requirements​

  • Either a valid Client ID from a Connect node, or Access Key ID and Secret Access Key credentials
  • A valid bucket name
  • The bucket must be completely empty (no objects, including versioned objects and delete markers)
  • Appropriate S3 permissions to delete buckets (s3:DeleteBucket)

Error Handling​

The node will return specific errors in the following cases:

  • Empty or invalid bucket name
  • Bucket does not exist
  • Bucket is not empty (contains objects)
  • Invalid Client ID or credentials
  • Insufficient permissions to delete buckets
  • Network or connection errors

Usage Notes​

  • The bucket must be completely empty before deletion
  • This includes all object versions and delete markers in versioned buckets
  • Bucket deletion is permanent and cannot be undone
  • After deletion, the bucket name becomes available for reuse by any AWS account
  • If you want to reuse the same bucket name, delete and recreate it immediately
  • Bucket deletion is eventually consistent
  • There is no confirmation prompt - the deletion happens immediately

Best Practices​

  • Always verify the bucket is empty before attempting deletion
  • Use the List Objects node to check for remaining objects
  • Delete all objects in the bucket first using the Delete Object node in a loop
  • For versioned buckets, delete all object versions and delete markers
  • Double-check the bucket name before deletion to avoid accidental data loss
  • Consider bucket lifecycle policies as an alternative to manual deletion
  • Keep backups of important data before deleting buckets
  • Document why buckets are being deleted for audit purposes

Example​

To delete an empty bucket:

Inputs:

  • Client Id: (from Connect node)
  • Bucket Name: my-old-temporary-bucket

Result: The bucket my-old-temporary-bucket will be permanently deleted from your AWS account.

Complete Deletion Flow​

To safely delete a bucket with objects, follow this pattern:

  1. List Objects - Get all objects in the bucket
  2. Loop through objects - For each object:
    • Delete Object - Remove the object
  3. Delete Bucket - Remove the empty bucket

Example automation flow:

Step 1: List Objects

  • Bucket Name: my-bucket-to-delete
  • Output: Array of objects

Step 2: For Each Object (Loop)

  • Delete Object node
  • Bucket Name: my-bucket-to-delete
  • Object Name: (from loop item)

Step 3: Delete Bucket

  • Bucket Name: my-bucket-to-delete

Handling Versioned Buckets​

For buckets with versioning enabled, you must delete all object versions:

  1. List all object versions (including delete markers)
  2. Delete each version individually, specifying the version ID
  3. Delete the bucket once all versions are removed

Direct Credentials Example​

You can also delete a bucket without using the Connect node:

Inputs:

  • Bucket Name: my-temporary-bucket

Options:

  • End Point: s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com
  • Access Key Id: (your AWS Access Key ID credential)
  • Secret Key Access: (your AWS Secret Access Key credential)

Common Errors​

Error: "The bucket you tried to delete is not empty"

  • Solution: Delete all objects in the bucket first, including all versions if versioning is enabled

Error: "NoSuchBucket: The specified bucket does not exist"

  • Solution: Verify the bucket name is correct and that the bucket exists in your account

Error: "Access Denied"

  • Solution: Ensure your credentials have the s3:DeleteBucket permission

Error: "BucketNotEmpty"

  • Solution: Check for delete markers and object versions if versioning was ever enabled on the bucket