Deleting

Deleting is the act of removing data or objects, making them inaccessible to normal operations. Deletion can be logical, where the item is marked as deleted but remains in storage, or physical, where the data is actually erased. Many systems use an intermediate stage such as a trash or recycle bin before final removal.

In computing, deletion occurs when a user removes a file, a database record, or a message. The effect depends on the system: files may be moved to a recycle bin; databases may delete rows; messages may vanish from history.

Common deletion methods include soft delete (logical deletion), hard delete (physical deletion), and cryptographic erasure (destroying access to data by deleting keys). Standards such as DoD 5220.22-M and NIST SP 800-88 describe practices to reduce recoverability, often involving overwriting or cryptographic destruction.

Recoverability depends on backups and media type. Deleted data may still be recoverable from backups or forensic methods; on solid-state drives, TRIM and wear leveling can affect overwriting effectiveness.

Legal and ethical considerations include privacy laws that require deletion on request and retention limits. Deletion policies and audit logs help organizations meet compliance and protect user privacy.

In software design, deletion is often made reversible through undo options or soft delete flags, and systems should enforce permissions and maintain audit trails to explain what was removed and when.