How to use the command 'hub delete' (with examples)

This article will provide examples of how to use the command ‘hub delete’ to delete an existing repository on GitHub.

Command Description

The ‘hub delete’ command is a command-line tool that allows you to delete an existing repository on GitHub. It is a convenient way to manage your repositories without having to navigate to the GitHub website manually. The command provides options to delete a repository, either owned by the authenticated user or any other user.

Use case 1: Delete personal repo on GitHub

Code:

hub delete repo

Motivation: If you have created a personal repository on GitHub and want to delete it using the command-line interface, you can use the ‘hub delete’ command. This command saves you the time and effort of opening the GitHub website and navigating through the repository settings to delete it.

Explanation:

• ‘hub delete’ is the main command to initiate the repository deletion process.
• ‘repo’ is an argument that specifies that the repository is being deleted.
• The command assumes that you are deleting a repository owned by the authenticated user.

Example output:

✔ Deleting repository personal-repo (Y/n)
✔ Deleted repository personal-repo

In this example, the ‘hub delete’ command is used to delete a personal repository named ‘personal-repo’. The command prompts you to confirm the deletion, and upon confirmation, it deletes the repository and displays a success message.

Use case 2: Delete other user’s repo on GitHub

Code:

hub delete repo username/repo-name

Motivation: In some cases, you might want to delete a repository owned by another user on GitHub. The ‘hub delete’ command allows you to do this conveniently from the command line, without needing to navigate to the GitHub website.

Explanation:

• ‘hub delete’ is the main command to initiate the repository deletion process.
• ‘repo’ is an argument that specifies that the repository is being deleted.
• ‘username/repo-name’ is an argument that specifies the username and repository name of the repository you want to delete.
• The command assumes that you have the necessary permissions to delete the repository owned by the specified user.

Example output:

✔ Deleting repository other-user/repo (Y/n)
✔ Deleted repository other-user/repo

In this example, the ‘hub delete’ command is used to delete a repository named ‘repo’ owned by user ‘other-user’. The command prompts you to confirm the deletion, and upon confirmation, it deletes the repository and displays a success message.

Conclusion

The ‘hub delete’ command provides a convenient way to delete repositories on GitHub directly from the command line. You can use it to delete repositories owned by the authenticated user or other users, saving time and effort compared to manual deletion through the GitHub website.