# Archive and delete projects

Retire projects and workspaces, review their data and restore archived work.

URL: /docs/projects

These actions are available in current source builds. The published
`0.1.0-alpha.2` image does not include them.

Open **Project configuration → Access → Archive and delete** to retire a project.
For a workspace, open **Workspace → Members & groups**. Its retirement includes
its projects; the impact screen lists them before confirmation.

## Archive and restore [#archive-and-restore]

Archive a resource to remove it from ordinary selection while retaining its
content, drafts, media, publication history, connections and access grants.
Archived projects remain readable and reject new edits or publication requests.
Existing API keys remain user-owned and keep access to other permitted projects.

The impact screen shows the affected records and pending work. If work is
scheduled, confirm its cancellation in this screen. Postdot invalidates pending
OAuth attempts and prevents new executions. It cancels claimed work that has not
crossed the external-effect boundary and waits for already-started operations to
finish. An unresolved publication outcome remains visible in the retained history.

Open **Archived resources** from the same settings section to restore a resource.
Restore the workspace before restoring its projects. Restoring a workspace does
not restore its projects automatically, and restoring a project does not
reschedule cancelled work. Review the project before publishing again.

## Permanently delete [#permanently-delete]

Choose **Delete permanently**, review the impact and type the resource's name.
You can delete an active or archived resource. Confirm cancellation of pending
work and acknowledge unresolved external outcomes when the screen requests it.
A result may be uncertain because a provider accepted a request without returning
a conclusive response.

Deletion removes local project content, drafts, publication history, media and
provider credentials. It does not delete accounts or content already published on
external platforms. Remove that content through the destination's own interface
when necessary. Postdot retains a minimal removal receipt with identifiers,
resource names, actor, time and impact counts, without publication content or
provider secrets.

Postdot records media cleanup before removing its SQL ownership rows, then retries
object deletion in the background. A storage failure or restart preserves the
queue. **Archived resources** shows pending retirements you initiated, including
cleanup progress. Keep the original storage backend and store identifier
configured until cleanup finishes. A different backend is not evidence that an
object was deleted. A complete backup temporarily fences physical cleanup.

Backups made before deletion still contain the old data. Their retention and
off-machine copies remain the operator's responsibility; see
[backup and recovery](/docs/operations/).

## Workspaces and permissions [#workspaces-and-permissions]

Project owners and workspace owners/administrators can retire projects. Workspace
owners/administrators can retire their own workspace and its projects. Editors
and viewers cannot retire resources. Instance administration does not grant
routine access to another workspace's content.

Before retiring the default workspace, select an active replacement that you
manage in the confirmation screen. Postdot updates the default pointer in the
same transaction. Workspace deletion also removes its local memberships, groups
and invitations; the people's accounts and other workspaces remain.

Project API keys require the owner's live role, permitted project scope and the
appropriate action capability: `project:manage` for archive/restore,
`project:permanently_delete` for deletion, and `project:read` for the preview.
Workspace administration follows its existing human-session contract.