> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.agentfront.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Removing Documents

> Remove documents from VectoriaDB

Learn how to remove documents from your VectoriaDB index.

## Remove Single Document

```ts title="src/remove-single.ts" theme={"theme":{"light":"snazzy-light","dark":"dark-plus"}}
// Returns true if document was found and removed
const removed = await toolIndex.remove('users:list');

if (removed) {
  console.log('Document removed');
} else {
  console.log('Document not found');
}
```

## Remove Multiple Documents

```ts title="src/remove-multiple.ts" theme={"theme":{"light":"snazzy-light","dark":"dark-plus"}}
// Returns count of documents actually removed
const removedCount = await toolIndex.removeMany([
  'users:list',
  'billing:charge',
  'nonexistent:id', // Silently skipped if not found
]);

console.log(`Removed ${removedCount} documents`);
```

## Clear All Documents

```ts title="src/clear-all.ts" theme={"theme":{"light":"snazzy-light","dark":"dark-plus"}}
// Remove all documents from the index
await toolIndex.clear();

console.log(`Index now contains ${toolIndex.size()} documents`); // 0
```

<Warning>
  `clear()` is irreversible and removes all documents. Make sure to save important data before calling it.
</Warning>

## Remove by Filter

VectoriaDB doesn't have a built-in "remove by filter" method. Use this pattern:

```ts title="src/remove-by-filter.ts" theme={"theme":{"light":"snazzy-light","dark":"dark-plus"}}
// Get IDs of documents matching filter
const deprecatedDocs = toolIndex.filter((m) => m.deprecated === true);
const idsToRemove = deprecatedDocs.map((doc) => doc.id);

// Remove them
const removed = toolIndex.removeMany(idsToRemove);
console.log(`Removed ${removed} deprecated documents`);
```

## Safe Removal Pattern

```ts title="src/safe-remove.ts" theme={"theme":{"light":"snazzy-light","dark":"dark-plus"}}
async function safeRemove(id: string) {
  // Check if exists first
  const doc = toolIndex.get(id);
  if (!doc) {
    console.log(`Document ${id} not found`);
    return false;
  }

  // Log what we're removing
  console.log(`Removing: ${doc.metadata.toolName}`);

  // Remove
  return toolIndex.remove(id);
}
```

## HNSW Index Updates

When using HNSW indexing, remove operations update the index structure:

```ts title="src/hnsw-remove.ts" theme={"theme":{"light":"snazzy-light","dark":"dark-plus"}}
const db = new VectoriaDB({
  useHNSW: true,
});

// Removal updates HNSW graph
await db.remove('doc-id');

// Search immediately reflects the removal
const results = await db.search('query');
```

## Storage Considerations

Removing documents doesn't automatically update persistent storage:

```ts title="src/remove-with-storage.ts" theme={"theme":{"light":"snazzy-light","dark":"dark-plus"}}
// Remove document
await db.remove('doc-id');

// Save updated state to storage
await db.saveToStorage();
```

<Tip>
  For file or Redis storage, call `saveToStorage()` after batch removals to persist the changes.
</Tip>

## Related

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Adding Documents" icon="plus" href="/vectoriadb/guides/core/adding-documents">
    Add documents
  </Card>

  <Card title="Updating Documents" icon="pen" href="/vectoriadb/guides/core/updating-documents">
    Update documents
  </Card>

  <Card title="Storage" icon="floppy-disk" href="/vectoriadb/guides/storage/overview">
    Persist changes
  </Card>
</CardGroup>