# atmos aws cloudformation source delete

Use this command to delete the vendored source directory for an `aws/cloudformation` component. This removes the component directory that was created by `atmos aws cloudformation source pull`.

**Source-Based Version Pinning**

Learn how to configure the `source` field for per-environment version control.

Design Pattern[Read more](/design-patterns/version-management/source-based-versioning)

## Usage

```shell
atmos aws cloudformation source delete [component] [--stack <stack>] [--force]
```

## Description

The `delete` command removes the vendored component directory. Without `--force`, it prompts for confirmation and deletes only after you confirm. Use `--force` to skip the confirmation prompt.

The component and stack can be omitted to request interactive selection. Selection requires interactive mode, terminal input, and available candidates; it is disabled in CI. If either value remains unresolved, the command reports a missing-argument or missing-stack error. `--force` skips deletion confirmation only; it does not supply missing component or stack values.

For CI or other unattended use, provide the component, `--stack`, and `--force`. If the directory exists and terminal input is unavailable, running without `--force` returns an interactive-input error and leaves the directory unchanged.

This is useful for:

- Cleaning up vendored components before re-vendoring
- Removing components that are no longer needed
- Resetting to a clean state for troubleshooting

## Examples

### Delete Vendored Component

Remove a vendored component directory without prompting:

```shell
atmos aws cloudformation source delete vpc --stack dev --force
```

Output:

```
Deleting directory: components/cloudformation/vpc
✓ Successfully deleted: components/cloudformation/vpc
```

### Without Force Flag

In an interactive terminal, omit `--force` to review and confirm the deletion:

```shell
atmos aws cloudformation source delete vpc --stack dev
```

The command asks whether to delete the source directory. Choose **Yes!** to delete it, or **No.** to cancel and keep the directory. Without terminal input, use `--force` as shown in the previous example.

### Request Interactive Selection

Omitting the component and stack prompts you to select a source-managed CloudFormation component and a stack containing it, then confirm deletion:

```shell
atmos aws cloudformation source delete
```

You can also provide the component and omit `--stack` to select only the stack. If `ATMOS_STACK` is set, that stack is used without a selection prompt.

## Arguments

- **`component`**
  The name of the Atmos component to delete. May be omitted for interactive selection when a matching candidate is available; required explicitly for non-interactive use.

## Flags

- **`--stack` / `-s`**
  The Atmos stack name. Can also be set via 
  `ATMOS_STACK`
  . If unset, attempts interactive selection of a stack containing the component. For non-interactive use, supply 
  `--stack`
   or 
  `ATMOS_STACK`
  .
- **`--force` / `-f`**
  **Optional.**
   Skip confirmation and delete the source directory. Use this flag for non-interactive deletion.

## Safety

The `delete` command has several safety features:

1. **Confirmation by default** - Prompts before deletion unless `--force` is set; declining preserves the directory
2. **Only deletes source-managed components** - Only works on components with `source` configured
3. **Non-destructive on missing directories** - Shows a warning if the directory doesn't exist instead of failing

## See Also

- [Source-Based Version Pinning](/design-patterns/version-management/source-based-versioning) — Design pattern for per-environment version control
- [`atmos aws cloudformation source`](/cli/commands/aws/cloudformation/source) — Parent command overview
- [`atmos aws cloudformation source pull`](/cli/commands/aws/cloudformation/source/pull) — Vendor component source
- [`atmos aws cloudformation source list`](/cli/commands/aws/cloudformation/source/list) — List components with sources