# How to Destroy Valkey Database Clusters

Valkey is a high-performance, open-source database that stores key-value data in memory, and is designed for caching, message queues, and primary database use. Fully compatible with Redis, Valkey serves as a drop-in replacement.

## Destroy a Database Cluster Using the CLI or API

## How to Create a Database Using the DigitalOcean CLI

1. [Install `doctl`](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/doctl/how-to/install/index.html.md), the official DigitalOcean CLI.
2. [Create a personal access token](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/create-personal-access-token/index.html.md) and save it for use with `doctl`.
3. Use the token to grant `doctl` access to your DigitalOcean account.

   ```shell
   doctl auth init
   ```
4. Finally, run `doctl databases delete`. Basic usage looks like this, but you can [read the usage docs](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/doctl/reference/databases/delete/index.html.md) for more details:

   ```shell
   doctl databases delete <database-cluster-id> [flags]
   ```

   The following example deletes the database cluster with the ID `f81d4fae-7dec-11d0-a765-00a0c91e6bf6`:

   ```shell
   doctl databases delete f81d4fae-7dec-11d0-a765-00a0c91e6bf6
   ```

## How to Destroy a Database Cluster Using the DigitalOcean API

1. [Create a personal access token](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/create-personal-access-token/index.html.md) and save it for use with the API.
2. Send a DELETE request to [`https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/databases/{database_cluster_uuid}`](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/digitalocean//index.html.md#operation/databases_destroy_cluster).

### cURL

Using cURL:

```shell
curl -X DELETE \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN" \
"https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/databases/9cc10173-e9ea-4176-9dbc-a4cee4c4ff30"
```

### Go

Using [Godo](https://github.com/digitalocean/godo), the official DigitalOcean API client for Go:

```go
import (
    "context"
    "github.com/digitalocean/godo"
)

func main() {
    pat := "mytoken"

    client := godo.NewFromToken(pat)
    ctx := context.TODO()

    _, err := client.Databases.Delete(ctx, "9cc10173-e9ea-4176-9dbc-a4cee4c4ff30")
}
```

### Python

Using [PyDo](https://github.com/digitalocean/pydo), the official DigitalOcean API client for Python:

```python
import os
from pydo import Client

client = Client(token=os.environ.get("DIGITALOCEAN_TOKEN"))

delete_resp = client.databases.destroy_cluster(database_cluster_uuid="a7abba8")
```

## Destroy a Database Cluster Using the Control Panel

Deleting a database cluster permanently and irreversibly destroys the cluster, its contents, and its automated backups.

To destroy a database cluster from the control panel, open the cluster’s **More** menu. Click **Destroy** to go to the cluster’s **Settings** page.

![Screenshot of cluster settings page](https://docs.digitalocean.com/screenshots/databases/valkey-cluster-settings.628e725968226c9ba0980f2cab426d1b8594ceb4f262ddb1b89e98ed2e4579e2.png)

In the **Destroy this database cluster** section at the bottom of the page, click the **Destroy** button. This opens a **Destroy database cluster** confirmation window.

![Screenshot of the destroy cluster warning](https://docs.digitalocean.com/screenshots/databases/destroy-cluster-warning.fa56c3f2990f3a2e7d45c017fef6c0c1e2d824c3e3affceabdbe59cf62df8a41.png)

To permanently destroy the cluster, type or copy and paste the name of the database cluster into the text field, then click **Destroy**.

**Warning**: Destroying a database cluster destroys the backups of that database. Make sure you download any important data before you destroy a cluster.