Delete Host Command

Delete a host from the system inventory by deleting its directory at context/hosts/{hostname}/.

Note: This command is an alias for /remove-host. Both commands use the same underlying tool.

How This Command Works

This command orchestrates the host-management skill to delete hosts from the inventory.

Architecture:

• The skill's tool deletes directories and files
• You read the tool's JSON output to see what was deleted
• You DO NOT delete files directly - let the tool manage state

Workflow

1. Gather information from user or $ARGUMENTS:

   • Hostname (required)
   • Whether to create a backup before deletion

2. Invoke the host-management skill's remove-host.sh tool:

   ./skills/host-management/tools/remove-host.sh --hostname <name> [--backup]
   

3. Read the JSON output from the tool to see:

   • Success/failure status
   • Path that was deleted
   • Number of files deleted
   • Backup path if created

4. Report to the user:

   • If successful: confirm host was deleted
   • Show backup location if created
   • If failed: explain the error from the tool's output

Examples

Example 1: Delete host without backup

User: /delete-host testserver

1. Run: ./skills/host-management/tools/remove-host.sh --hostname testserver
2. Read JSON output
3. Report: "Deleted testserver from inventory (4 files deleted)"

Example 2: Delete host with backup

User: /delete-host production-db --backup

1. Run: ./skills/host-management/tools/remove-host.sh --hostname production-db --backup
2. Read JSON output
3. Report: "Deleted production-db from inventory. Backup saved to context/backups/production-db_2026-01-05T12:00:00Z.tar.gz"

Important Reminders

• NEVER delete host directories or files directly
• ALWAYS use the skill's tool for state management
• READ the tool's output to understand what was deleted
• Consider using --backup flag for important hosts

This ensures data integrity and provides recovery options if needed.