Managed scope and deletions

The manifest’s resources list declares which kinds the tree manages. Omitting a kind leaves it alone. Listing a kind can make missing records deletion requests, even when a file was removed accidentally.

Read omissions at the correct level

Scope	Omission means
Kind absent from resources	Do not manage that kind
Role, permission rule, folder or translation absent from a managed kind	Plan its deletion
Collection, field or relation absent from managed schema	Plan deletion within the captured schema boundary
Extension subject file absent	Stop managing that subject. Preserve its values
Stored declared setting absent within a managed extension subject	Plan its deletion
Optional project-setting field absent	Preserve the target value
Optional role field absent	Preserve where the role format permits omission
Direct property absent inside an existing schema meta or schema object	Preserve it. See the schema omission rules linked below

resources: [] manages nothing. Keep generated filenames and use .yaml. Files with unrecognized names or extensions can be skipped and count as omitted records. See Files the reader skips.

Removing a collection file does not exclude its table from management. It requests deletion. See Schema for which tables and fields are included.

Use complete desired sets

Start from a generated snapshot and retain every record you intend to keep. All permission files together form the complete desired set when permissions are managed. Removing a language file from managed translations requests deletion of that language’s custom strings.

For extension settings, removing a file preserves its subject’s values. Keeping it with empty maps clears declared stored values.

Keep schema meta and schema objects as captured. If you need a direct file edit, follow the resource’s omission rules. See Schema omission rules.

Authorize intended deletions

cairncms config apply ./config --dry-run
cairncms config apply ./config --destructive

The second command permits planned deletions after confirmation. Over HTTP use destructive=true. Without authorization a mutating deletion plan is refused. Dry runs still show deletions and protections.

The flag does not gate every risky update. Changing a column type, narrowing a value, or overwriting a target’s settings can lose information without being a deletion. Neither --destructive nor --force-schema overrides administrator-continuity protection or invalid references.

Review consequences beyond the deleted record

Deleting a role removes its permissions and presets and suspends and unassigns its users. Those effects reach outside managed kinds. The preview includes affected permissions, bookmarks, users and sessions.

Dropping a collection or field can destroy its data. Check applications, saved queries and permissions that depend on it.

Config-as-code does not move files out of a deleted folder. Move its files and children, and update settings or fields that reference it, before deleting it. See Folders.

Warnings and protections

Warnings do not themselves block apply or change its exit code. UNCONFIGURED_TABLE_DROP identifies a planned drop of a table not configured as a CairnCMS collection. It may contain another application’s data.

Protections refuse mutation even with destructive authorization. ADMIN_CONTINUITY_REQUIRED prevents removal of the last administrator role. A run can transfer administrator access between roles while preserving continuity.

For machine-readable warning and protection codes, see Apply output. For a refused apply, follow Failure recovery.