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

# Delete Compute Instance

> Deletes a specific compute instance by its ID. This action is irreversible.

**Requirements:**
- Requires compute permissions (extra_permissions.compute = true)
- Authentication required via admin API key
- Instance must belong to the authenticated user's workspace

**Key Features:**
- Permanently remove compute instances
- Free up compute resources
- Stop billing for the instance
- Clean up unused resources

**Important:**
- This action cannot be undone
- All data on the instance will be lost
- Instance will be immediately terminated
- Billing stops after deletion

**Common Use Cases:**
- Clean up completed workloads
- Remove failed or stuck instances
- Manage compute costs
- Free up quota for new instances

See [fal.ai docs](https://docs.fal.ai/compute) for more details.



## OpenAPI

````yaml /api-reference/platform-apis/openapi/v1.json delete /compute/instances/{id}
openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  title: Platform APIs
  version: v1
  description: fal REST API for programmatic access to platform resources.
servers:
  - url: https://api.fal.ai/v1
    description: Production server
security: []
paths:
  /compute/instances/{id}:
    delete:
      tags:
        - Compute
      summary: Delete Compute Instance
      description: >-
        Deletes a specific compute instance by its ID. This action is
        irreversible.


        **Requirements:**

        - Requires compute permissions (extra_permissions.compute = true)

        - Authentication required via admin API key

        - Instance must belong to the authenticated user's workspace


        **Key Features:**

        - Permanently remove compute instances

        - Free up compute resources

        - Stop billing for the instance

        - Clean up unused resources


        **Important:**

        - This action cannot be undone

        - All data on the instance will be lost

        - Instance will be immediately terminated

        - Billing stops after deletion


        **Common Use Cases:**

        - Clean up completed workloads

        - Remove failed or stuck instances

        - Manage compute costs

        - Free up quota for new instances


        See [fal.ai docs](https://docs.fal.ai/compute) for more details.
      operationId: deleteComputeInstance
      parameters:
        - schema:
            type: string
            minLength: 1
            description: Unique identifier for the compute instance
            example: inst_abc123xyz
          required: true
          description: Unique identifier for the compute instance
          name: id
          in: path
      responses:
        '204':
          description: Compute instance deleted successfully
        '401':
          description: Authentication required
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: object
                properties:
                  error:
                    type: object
                    properties:
                      type:
                        type: string
                        enum:
                          - authorization_error
                          - validation_error
                          - not_found
                          - rate_limited
                          - server_error
                          - not_implemented
                        description: The category of error that occurred
                      message:
                        type: string
                        description: Human-readable error message
                      docs_url:
                        type: string
                        format: uri
                        description: Link to relevant documentation
                      request_id:
                        type: string
                        description: Unique request identifier for debugging
                    required:
                      - type
                      - message
                    description: Error details
                required:
                  - error
                description: Standard error response format
              example:
                error:
                  type: authorization_error
                  message: Authentication required
        '403':
          description: Access denied
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: object
                properties:
                  error:
                    type: object
                    properties:
                      type:
                        type: string
                        enum:
                          - authorization_error
                          - validation_error
                          - not_found
                          - rate_limited
                          - server_error
                          - not_implemented
                        description: The category of error that occurred
                      message:
                        type: string
                        description: Human-readable error message
                      docs_url:
                        type: string
                        format: uri
                        description: Link to relevant documentation
                      request_id:
                        type: string
                        description: Unique request identifier for debugging
                    required:
                      - type
                      - message
                    description: Error details
                required:
                  - error
                description: Standard error response format
              example:
                error:
                  type: authorization_error
                  message: Access denied
        '404':
          description: Resource not found
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: object
                properties:
                  error:
                    type: object
                    properties:
                      type:
                        type: string
                        enum:
                          - authorization_error
                          - validation_error
                          - not_found
                          - rate_limited
                          - server_error
                          - not_implemented
                        description: The category of error that occurred
                      message:
                        type: string
                        description: Human-readable error message
                      docs_url:
                        type: string
                        format: uri
                        description: Link to relevant documentation
                      request_id:
                        type: string
                        description: Unique request identifier for debugging
                    required:
                      - type
                      - message
                    description: Error details
                required:
                  - error
                description: Standard error response format
              example:
                error:
                  type: not_found
                  message: Resource not found
        '429':
          description: Rate limit exceeded
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: object
                properties:
                  error:
                    type: object
                    properties:
                      type:
                        type: string
                        enum:
                          - authorization_error
                          - validation_error
                          - not_found
                          - rate_limited
                          - server_error
                          - not_implemented
                        description: The category of error that occurred
                      message:
                        type: string
                        description: Human-readable error message
                      docs_url:
                        type: string
                        format: uri
                        description: Link to relevant documentation
                      request_id:
                        type: string
                        description: Unique request identifier for debugging
                    required:
                      - type
                      - message
                    description: Error details
                required:
                  - error
                description: Standard error response format
              example:
                error:
                  type: rate_limited
                  message: Rate limit exceeded
        '500':
          description: Internal server error
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                type: object
                properties:
                  error:
                    type: object
                    properties:
                      type:
                        type: string
                        enum:
                          - authorization_error
                          - validation_error
                          - not_found
                          - rate_limited
                          - server_error
                          - not_implemented
                        description: The category of error that occurred
                      message:
                        type: string
                        description: Human-readable error message
                      docs_url:
                        type: string
                        format: uri
                        description: Link to relevant documentation
                      request_id:
                        type: string
                        description: Unique request identifier for debugging
                    required:
                      - type
                      - message
                    description: Error details
                required:
                  - error
                description: Standard error response format
              example:
                error:
                  type: server_error
                  message: An unexpected error occurred
      security:
        - adminApiKey: []
components:
  securitySchemes:
    adminApiKey:
      type: apiKey
      in: header
      name: Authorization
      description: >-
        Admin API key must be prefixed with "Key ", e.g. Authorization: Key
        YOUR_ADMIN_API_KEY

````