findOneAndDelete

findOneAndDelete is a MongoDB operation that finds a single document matching a given filter and deletes it. It returns the deleted document as the operation’s value, or null if no document matched. The command selects which document to delete using an optional sort specification when multiple matches exist, and it deletes only one document.

Usage and syntax

In the MongoDB shell, the form is: db.collection.findOneAndDelete(filter, options). In drivers such as the Node.js driver, the method is collection.findOneAndDelete(filter, options). The filter identifies the document to delete, and options may include sort to determine which document to delete when multiple matches exist, projection to limit returned fields, collation for string comparisons, maxTimeMS to bound execution time, and session for transaction context. The operation is executed atomically with respect to the matched document.

Return value

The command result includes value, which is the deleted document, or null if no matching document was found. Other fields such as ok may indicate success. Because only one document is deleted, the operation cannot remove multiple documents in a single call.

Behavior and caveats

findOneAndDelete uses the server’s findAndModify mechanism to remove a single document. It is suitable when you need to delete a document and obtain its contents in one round trip. If you need to delete all matching documents, use deleteMany, or deleteOne followed by further logic. For updating and returning a document, use findOneAndUpdate.

Compatibility and references

findOneAndDelete is available in modern MongoDB deployments and supported by official drivers and the shell. It complements related methods such as findOneAndUpdate and deleteOne, providing a spectrum of single-document operations with returnable results.