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  3. Group Management

Delete an Artifactory group with jf rt group-delete

Permanently delete an Artifactory group using the jf rt group-delete command.

Delete a users group from Artifactory.

Prerequisites

  • JFrog CLI installed and configured (jf config add)
  • Admin privileges on the Artifactory instance
  • The group to be deleted must already exist
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Note

The JFrog CLI does not provide a group-list or group-get command. Before deleting, verify the exact group name in the Artifactory UI (Administration > Identity and Access > Groups) or via the Artifactory REST API (GET /access/api/v2/groups). Deleting a group is irreversible — a typo in the group name cannot be undone.

Synopsis

jf rt group-delete <group name> [options]

Aliases: rt gdel

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Note

When you run jf rt group-delete --help, the CLI displays the alias name jf rt gdel in the usage line. Both jf rt group-delete and jf rt gdel are equivalent and interchangeable.

Arguments

This command takes the following argument.

ArgumentRequiredDescription
<group name>YesThe name of the group to delete

Options

This command supports the following options.

FlagDefaultDescription
--access-token—JFrog access token
--password—JFrog password (for authentication)
--quiet$CISet to true to skip the delete confirmation message
--server-id—Server ID configured using the jf config command
--ssh-key-path—SSH key file path
--ssh-passphrase—SSH key passphrase
--url—JFrog Artifactory URL (example: https://acme.jfrog.io/artifactory)
--user—JFrog username

Examples

Verify Command Help

To view command help:

  • Run:
jf rt group-delete --help

Delete a Group with Confirmation

Running without --quiet prompts for confirmation before proceeding.

To delete a group with confirmation:

  • Run:
jf rt group-delete <group name>

Where:

  • <group name> — name of the group to delete (see Arguments).

Full example:

jf rt group-delete developers

Expected output:

Delete the group developers? (y/n): y
Done deleting group: developers.
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Warning

This action permanently removes the group. You cannot undo it.

Delete a Group without a Prompt

Use --quiet to skip the confirmation prompt. Suitable for CI pipelines where the CI environment variable is set.

To delete a group without a prompt:

  • Run:
jf rt group-delete <group name> --quiet

Full example:

jf rt group-delete developers --quiet

On success the command exits with code 0 and produces no output. The absence of output is expected — it does not indicate a problem.

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Note

The CLI prints a [Info] Trace ID for JFrog Platform logs: <id> line on every server request. This is informational and can be used to correlate requests in JFrog Platform logs. It does not indicate an error.

Important Notes

  • Irreversible: Deleting a group removes it permanently. Users who were members lose the group's permissions immediately.
  • Deleting a group does not delete its member users — they remain in Artifactory but lose permissions granted through this group.
  • --quiet default: In CI environments (when CI is set), --quiet defaults to true.
  • Requires admin privileges on the Artifactory instance.
  • Permission targets that reference this group will no longer grant access through it after deletion.

Troubleshooting

The following errors can occur when running this command.

ErrorCauseResolution
401 Token failed verificationThe stored access token is expired or invalidRe-authenticate with jf config add, or pass a fresh token using --access-token <token>
403 ForbiddenThe configured user does not have admin privilegesUse credentials for an account with admin rights, or contact your Artifactory administrator
404 Not FoundThe specified group does not existVerify the group name in the Artifactory UI or REST API before retrying

Frequently Asked Questions

plusFAQs
Q: How do I delete an Artifactory group?

A: Run jf rt group-delete <group name>. Without --quiet, the CLI prompts for confirmation before deleting. See Delete a Group with Confirmation.

Q: How do I delete a group without a confirmation prompt?

A: Add --quiet to skip the prompt. See Delete a Group without a Prompt. In CI environments where CI is set, --quiet defaults to true.

Q: Can I undo deleting a group?

A: No. Deleting a group is irreversible — member users lose the group's permissions immediately, though the users themselves are not deleted.

Q: How do I find the exact group name before deleting it?

A: JFrog CLI has no group-list/group-get command. Check the exact name in the Artifactory UI (Administration > Identity and Access > Groups) or via GET /access/api/v2/groups.

Q: What happens to permission targets that reference a deleted group?

A: They no longer grant access through that group after deletion. See Important Notes.

Related Topics


Updated 2 days ago

What’s Next

To create a replacement group, see jf rt group-create.

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