Delete a topic

What you'll achieve

A topic you no longer need is permanently removed, together with its data — this cannot be undone.

Before you start

• Be sure nothing still uses the topic — deleting it deletes the data in it, and any application still reading or writing will start failing.
• Your role badge says Developer or higher and the environment allows changes; in a read-only environment only admins can delete.

Steps

1. Click Topics in the sidebar and click the trash icon in the topic's Actions column (hover text: "Delete topic"). You can also open the topic and use the red Delete Topic button in the Danger Zone at the bottom.
2. A confirmation window appears: "Are you sure you want to delete …? This action cannot be undone." If the topic has a data contract attached, tick Also delete associated data contracts so it doesn't stay behind orphaned.
3. Click Delete Topic.

What success looks like

The topic disappears from the Topics list. Deletion happens in the background at Confluent, so the topic can linger in the list for a few moments — click Refresh above the table if it's still showing.

Something went wrong?

• The trash icon is greyed out with "Deletion is disabled for this environment" — the environment is read-only or your role is Viewer. Ask your team's admin.
• Deleted the wrong topic? The data is gone — but you can re-create the topic itself in a minute with Create a topic; the producing application will refill it going forward.

Background on topics and retention? Read the Topics guide.