How to Delete Workspace in Terraform: Simple Steps

To delete a workspace in Terraform, first switch to a different workspace using terraform workspace select, then run terraform workspace delete <workspace_name>. You cannot delete the workspace you are currently using.

Syntax

The command to delete a workspace in Terraform is:

• terraform workspace delete <workspace_name>: Deletes the specified workspace.
• terraform workspace select <workspace_name>: Switches to a different workspace before deletion.

You must not be in the workspace you want to delete.

bash

terraform workspace select default
terraform workspace delete my-workspace

Example

This example shows how to delete a workspace named dev. First, switch to the default workspace, then delete dev.

bash

terraform workspace list
# Output:
# * default
#   dev

terraform workspace select default
# Output:
# Switched to workspace "default".

terraform workspace delete dev
# Output:
# Deleted workspace "dev".

Output

terraform workspace list
* default
  dev

terraform workspace select default
Switched to workspace "default".

terraform workspace delete dev
Deleted workspace "dev".

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when deleting workspaces include:

• Trying to delete the current workspace. Terraform will not allow this.
• Deleting a workspace that does not exist, which causes an error.
• Not switching to a safe workspace like default before deletion.

Always verify your current workspace with terraform workspace show before deleting.

bash

terraform workspace delete dev
# Error: Cannot delete the currently selected workspace

terraform workspace select default
terraform workspace delete dev
# Success: Workspace deleted

Quick Reference

Command	Description
terraform workspace list	List all workspaces
terraform workspace show	Show current workspace
terraform workspace select	Switch to a workspace
terraform workspace delete	Delete a workspace (not current)

Key Takeaways

You must switch to a different workspace before deleting one in Terraform.

Use 'terraform workspace delete ' to remove a workspace safely.

Check your current workspace with 'terraform workspace show' to avoid errors.

Deleting a non-existent workspace will cause an error.

The 'default' workspace is a safe choice to switch to before deleting others.