delete_file
Delete a file from a GitHub repository
This record as markdown: /tools/github/delete-file.md
What delete_file does on GitHub
AI agents call delete_file to permanently remove resources in GitHub, typically in cleanup and lifecycle workflows. It does its job in a single call, and there is no undo.
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
path | string | — | Path to the file to delete |
repo | string | — | Repository name |
owner | string | — | Repository owner (username or organization) |
branch | string | — | Branch to delete the file from |
message | string | — | Commit message |
Parameters from the server's own tool schema.
Why delete_file is rated Critical
Deletion of files from a repository is a destructive operation that cannot be undone without access to version history or backups. This represents a high-severity risk as an AI agent misusing this tool could permanently remove critical source code, documentation, or configuration files. The operation is irreversible at the tool level and could cause significant disruption to development workflows.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'delete_file' with description 'Delete a file from a GitHub repository' explicitly indicates irreversible deletion of repository content.
Risk signalsAccepts file system path (path)
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
The rule that runs delete_file safely
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: it sits between your AI agents and GitHub, and checks every tool call against a rule you set before the call runs. Nothing changes on the server itself. For delete_file, this is the rule to start with:
delete_file is removed from the agent's tool list entirely, so the agent never calls it. The rest of the server keeps working.
The button opens the PolicyLayer dashboard: create your workspace, connect GitHub, apply this rule, and every delete_file call is checked against it from then on.
Questions about delete_file
Delete a file from a GitHub repository. It is categorised as a Destructive tool in the GitHub MCP Server, which means it can permanently delete or destroy data. Block by default and require explicit approval.
delete_file accepts 5 parameters: path, repo, owner, branch, message. The full parameter table on this page comes from the server's own tool schema.
Register the GitHub MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for delete_file: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches GitHub. Nothing to install.
delete_file is a Destructive tool with critical risk. Critical-risk tools should be blocked by default and only enabled with explicit human approval.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the delete_file rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for delete_file. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
delete_file is provided by the GitHub MCP server (oci:ghcr.io/github/github-mcp-server:1.3.0). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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