Google Cloud Storage + Nodejs: How to delete a folder and all its content

Question

I'm using Node 10 and the gcs API.

Trying to delete a folder and all its content, but I can't figure how.

Nothing found about deleting folders in the API documentation.

I tried the following code, that works with single files, but no with an entire folder:

const { Storage } = require('@google-cloud/storage');
const storage = new Storage({
    projectId: 'my-id'
});
const bucket = storage.bucket('photos');

// Attempt to delete a folder and its files:
bucket
    .file('album-1')
    .delete()
    .then(...)
    .catch(...);

Possible duplicate of [Delete folder in Google Cloud Storage using nodejs gcloud api](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/38597802/delete-folder-in-google-cloud-storage-using-nodejs-gcloud-api) — Doug Stevenson, Mar 02 '19 at 17:54

Ohad Chaet · Answer 1 · 2019-03-02T18:37:10.830

That is because Google Cloud Storage does not really have folders (or as they are called "subdirectories"), just files that begin with a prefix.

For example, your folder album-1 looks like a folder in the Google Cloud Storage web UI, but in reality, it is just a way to represent files that their name begins with album1/..., aka album1/pic1.jpg and so on.

In order to delete the "folder" album1, you actually need to delete all the files that begin with album1/.... You could do that using the following steps:

let dirName = 'album-1';
// List all the files under the bucket
let files = await bucket.getFiles();
// Filter only files that belong to "folder" album-1, aka their file.id (name) begins with "album-1/"
let dirFiles = files.filter(f => f.id.includes(dirName + "/"))
// Delete the files
dirFiles.forEach(async file => {
    await file.delete();
})

You can read more about subdirectories at the docs here: https://cloud.google.com/storage/docs/gsutil/addlhelp/HowSubdirectoriesWork

thank you! Your solution works, but after made some little changes. I'll write the exact solution other post. One more question: If I have hundreds of images in my bucket, is it a good idea iterate all files, or maybe there are some better option to "files.filter"? — Miguel Lara, Mar 02 '19 at 18:27
You should use the prefix option in getFiles instead of getting absolutely every file — toxaq, Feb 10 '21 at 22:26

Miguel Lara · Answer 2 · 2019-03-02T18:47:52.470

4

Solution apported by @Ohad Chaet, with some adjustments:

let dirName = 'album-1';

let files = await bucket.getFiles();

let dirFiles = files[0].filter(f => f.id.includes(dirName + '/'));

dirFiles.forEach(async file => {
    await file.delete();
});

edited Mar 02 '19 at 18:47

answered Mar 02 '19 at 18:31

Miguel Lara

183
1
12

1

Be careful with `includes` as it will delete also files that contain the folder name. If you use it, I suggest you use `f.id.includes(dirName + "/")`. – Ohad Chaet Mar 02 '19 at 18:36
For some reason I needed "%2F" instead of "/" – JAnton Feb 11 '22 at 10:29

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 30 '22 at 23:49

You can do this

    async deleteFolder(bucketName: string, folder: string): Promise<void> {
        const storage = new Storage({
            projectId: your project Id
        });
    
        const bucket = storage.bucket(bucketName);
        const [files] = await bucket.getFiles({ prefix: `${folder}/` });
        await Promise.allSettled(files.map(file => file.delete({ ignoreNotFound: true })))
    }
}

Google Cloud Storage + Nodejs: How to delete a folder and all its content

3 Answers3