Handling Destructive Changes

Coordinate metadata deletion against a Salesforce org via the destructiveChanges manifest. Runs in three phases: scope → validate → execute, with stricter guardrails for production.

Phase 1 — Scope the deletion

Step 1a — Gather the components to remove

Ask the user (or infer from context) which components to delete. For each, capture:

• Metadata type (e.g. CustomObject, CustomField, ApexClass, Flow, PermissionSet)
• API name (e.g. Project__c, Account.Status__c, MyController)

Step 1b — Local dependency scan (best-effort)

Before generating the manifest, scan the local project for references to each component. Use Grep over force-app/:

grep -rn "<componentApiName>" force-app/ --include='*.cls' --include='*.trigger' --include='*.xml' --include='*.js' --include='*.html'

If references are found:

• List them to the user
• Recommend either updating those references first OR removing them in the same destructive deploy
• Do NOT proceed silently — surface the dependency risk

Step 1c — Generate destructiveChanges.xml

Write to manifest/destructiveChangesPre.xml (for pre-deploy deletion) or manifest/destructiveChangesPost.xml (for post-deploy deletion). Use the standard Salesforce metadata format:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <types>
        <members>Project__c</members>
        <members>OldThing__c</members>
        <name>CustomObject</name>
    </types>
    <types>
        <members>Account.Status__c</members>
        <name>CustomField</name>
    </types>
    <version>62.0</version>
</Package>

Use the API version from sfdx-project.json's sourceApiVersion.

Group components by metadata type (one <types> block per type). For namespaced fields, use Object.Field notation.

Phase 2 — Validate

ALWAYS validate before executing a destructive deploy:

sf project deploy validate \
  --pre-destructive-changes manifest/destructiveChangesPre.xml \
  --manifest manifest/package.xml \
  --target-org <alias> \
  --test-level RunLocalTests \
  --json

(For post-destructive: use --post-destructive-changes.)

If package.xml doesn't exist, create an empty one alongside (deletion-only deploy needs a package descriptor):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
    <version>62.0</version>
</Package>

If validation fails, surface errors and STOP. Common failure modes:

• "Cannot delete: referenced by Apex/Flow/Layout" → component still has references
• "Cannot delete: required for license" → managed-package or license dependency
• "Insufficient access" → user lacks delete permission

Phase 3 — Execute

Production path

Confirm whether the target is production before executing. The reliable check is the gate's classifier, which resolves the org the same way the deploy hook does (returns production|sandbox|scratch|trial|unknown):

"${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/sf-deploy-gate" bucket <alias>

unknown means the org type could not be confirmed (usually an incomplete org record). Say so plainly: the deploy gate still allows the deploy, auto-deploy on save stays off for that org, and re-authenticating with sf org login web usually restores the classification.

If the classifier returns production:

1. Display destructive confirmation banner (mirroring platform-quick-deploy)
2. List EVERY component that will be deleted
3. Require explicit "yes, delete from PRODUCTION" confirmation
4. Reject --purge-on-delete unless the user types it explicitly

The PreToolUse hook (sf-deploy-gate destructive) will already block bare destructive commands against prod — surface that denial to the user, do not work around it.

Sandbox / Scratch path

sf project deploy start \
  --pre-destructive-changes manifest/destructiveChangesPre.xml \
  --manifest manifest/package.xml \
  --target-org <alias> \
  --json \
  --wait 30

Add --purge-on-delete only if the user explicitly asked to permanently delete (skip the recycle bin).

Phase 4 — Post-delete cleanup

After a successful destructive deploy:

• Recommend a sf project retrieve start --metadata <Type>:<Name> is NOT useful (component is gone) — instead suggest cleaning up the local source:

  # Remove the now-deleted local files to keep source tracking accurate
  rm -rf force-app/main/default/<path-to-component>
  

• If deleting a custom field with data, remind the user that data is gone (or in the recycle bin until purged)
• Recommend running tests to confirm no runtime regressions

Rules

• ALWAYS validate first; NEVER skip Phase 2
• ALWAYS scan for local references; NEVER delete blindly
• ALWAYS gate production with explicit user confirmation
• NEVER add --purge-on-delete without explicit user request
• NEVER use --ignore-errors on a destructive deploy
• ALWAYS use the API version from sfdx-project.json, not a hardcoded value
• If the user is deleting a field with required="true" or that's used in RecordType picklist values, surface the cascade impact before proceeding