# platform-destructive-deploy

A skill that walks an agent through removing Salesforce metadata: reference scan first, validation second, deploy after that.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 2700 installs · ★ 1112
- Author: forcedotcom
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/forcedotcom/sf-skills/tree/HEAD/plugins/builder/salesforce-development/skills/platform-destructive-deploy/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/platform-destructive-deploy

## What it does

Use it when a component has to leave the org rather than the local disk. The agent collects metadata types and API names, greps `force-app/` for mentions of each one, and reports what still points at it. Blind deletion is off the table. If something references the component, you either fix those spots first or remove them in the same destructive deploy.

Next comes the manifest: `manifest/destructiveChangesPre.xml` or `destructiveChangesPost.xml`, validated with `sf project deploy validate` and `--test-level RunLocalTests`. The API version comes from `sfdx-project.json`. On production the `sf-deploy-gate` classifier resolves the org type first, then the agent lists every component to be deleted and waits for an explicit confirmation. A `sf-deploy-gate destructive` hook blocks bare destructive commands against prod, and the skill treats that denial as final.

You need the Salesforce CLI and an authorized org; a `package.xml` descriptor has to sit next to the destructive manifest for a deletion-only run. `--purge-on-delete` appears only on a direct request, because without it the data is still recoverable from the recycle bin. Removing a field marked `required="true"` or one used in `RecordType` picklist values has knock-on effects elsewhere, and the skill has to flag them before running anything.

## Requirements
- Works with: Salesforce

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add forcedotcom/sf-skills --skill platform-destructive-deploy -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/platform-destructive-deploy/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/platform-destructive-deploy/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add forcedotcom/sf-skills --skill platform-destructive-deploy -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/platform-destructive-deploy/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add forcedotcom/sf-skills --skill platform-destructive-deploy -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/platform-destructive-deploy/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install forcedotcom/sf-skills platform-destructive-deploy
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/platform-destructive-deploy/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add forcedotcom/sf-skills --skill platform-destructive-deploy -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/forcedotcom/sf-skills --path plugins/builder/salesforce-development/skills/platform-destructive-deploy
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/platform-destructive-deploy/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add forcedotcom/sf-skills --skill platform-destructive-deploy -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/forcedotcom/sf-skills/tree/HEAD/plugins/builder/salesforce-development/skills/platform-destructive-deploy/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- delete a custom object or field from the org, not from disk
- find code and flows that reference an Apex class before removing it
- test a destructive deploy on a sandbox first
- run a deletion alongside a regular metadata package
- clean up local source files after a successful removal

## Example prompts
- Delete the custom field `Account.Status__c` from the org with a destructive deploy
- Run a destructive deploy for `MyController` and `OldThing__c`, validate before executing
- Remove these components from production, show me the list and wait for my confirmation

## Source text · SKILL.md · Apache-2.0

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 47d81038a5193fd4.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 47d81038a5193fd4
````text
---
name: platform-destructive-deploy
description: "Execute the destructiveChanges.xml delete-and-deploy workflow against a Salesforce org. TRIGGER when the user asks to delete/remove a custom object, field, Apex class, flow, or any metadata component FROM an org, or to perform a 'destructive deploy' / removal as part of a release. Validates first and gates production with explicit confirmation. DO NOT TRIGGER for local file deletion (use Bash), or for net-new deploys (use platform-metadata-deploy)."
allowed-tools:
  - Bash
  - Read
  - Write
  - Glob
  - Grep
---

# 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/`:

```bash
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
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Package xmlns="http://soap.sforce.com/2006/04/metadata">
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 47d81038a5193fd4

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the 47d81038a5193fd4 tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

First 1986 of 5803 bytes. © forcedotcom · Apache-2.0 · https://github.com/forcedotcom/sf-skills/tree/HEAD/plugins/builder/salesforce-development/skills/platform-destructive-deploy/SKILL.md

_Part of the page did not fit — see the HTML version._

---
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