> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.wproofreader.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.wproofreader.com/v6.12.0/api-reference/style-guide-api/actions/delete-rule-s-deleterule-deleterules.md).

# Delete rule(s) (deleterule, deleterules)

Delete one or multiple style guide rules.

### Request

See [HTTP API Overview](/v6.12.0/api-reference/overview.md).

#### Parameters

| Parameter    | Type   | Required | Default       | Notes                                                                                             |
| ------------ | ------ | -------- | ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `cmd`        | string | Yes      | `style_guide` | Command name.                                                                                     |
| `action`     | string | Yes      |               | `deleterule` or `deleterules`.                                                                    |
| `lang`       | string | No       | `common`      | Language scope that contains the rule(s) (example: `en_US` or `en`).                              |
| `rule`       | string | Yes      |               | One rule ID, or a comma-separated list of rule IDs. Use `lang` + `rule` to uniquely target rules. |
| `collection` | string | No       | `style guide` | A name of the collection in which rules are stored.                                               |

### Behavior

* Deletes the specified rule(s).
* Returns the deleted rule object(s) in `result`.

### Response

Deleted rules object are returned.

See [Response schema](/v6.12.0/api-reference/style-guide-api/response-schema.md).

### Errors

See

* [Errors](/v6.12.0/api-reference/style-guide-api/errors.md#deleterule-deleterules-errors).
* [Validation & limits](/v6.12.0/api-reference/style-guide-api/validation-and-limits.md)

{% hint style="warning" %}
If a rule is visible in `getrules`, but `deleterules` returns **"Rule(s) not found"**, check `lang`.

`getrules` can return rules from multiple languages when `lang` is omitted, but delete actions use `lang=common` by default.

Pass the rule’s language explicitly (use `lang` + `rule` to uniquely target it).
{% endhint %}

### Examples

#### 1) Delete a single rule:

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Example (JSON body)" %}

<details>

<summary>Request URL (on-premises)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
http(s)://server_entry_point/?cmd=style_guide&access_key=<your-access-key>&collection=style guide&lang=en_US&action=deleterule&rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request URL (Cloud)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api?cmd=style_guide&access_key=<your-access-key>&serviceid=<your-service-id>&collection=style guide&lang=en_US&action=deleterule&rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request CURL (on-premises)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
curl -G "http(s)://server_entry_point" \
  --data-urlencode 'cmd=style_guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'access_key=<your-access-key>' \
  --data-urlencode 'collection=style guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'lang=en_US' \
  --data-urlencode 'action=deleterule' \
  --data-urlencode 'rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174'
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request CURL (Cloud)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
curl -G "https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api" \
  --data-urlencode 'cmd=style_guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'access_key=<your-access-key>' \
  --data-urlencode 'serviceid=<your-service-id>' \
  --data-urlencode 'collection=style guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'lang=en_US' \
  --data-urlencode 'action=deleterule' \
  --data-urlencode 'rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174'
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

***

<details>

<summary>Response</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```json
{
    "message": "Rule(s) deleted.",
    "result": [
        {
            "state": true,
            "language": "",
            "id": {
                "category": "STYLE_GUIDE",
                "collection": "style guide",
                "rule": "STYLE_16591413123912100174"
            },
            "patterns": [
                "testtexttobereplaced"
            ],
            "suggestions": [
                "TestTextToBeReplaced"
            ],
            "description": "example",
            "context_include": [],
            "context_exclude": []
        }
    ]
}
```

{% endcode %}

</details>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Example (XML body)" %}

<details>

<summary>Request URL (on-premises)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
http(s)://server_entry_point/?cmd=style_guide&access_key=<your-access-key>&collection=style guide&lang=en_US&action=deleterule&rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174&format=xml
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request URL (Cloud)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api?cmd=style_guide&access_key=<your-access-key>&serviceid=<your-service-id>&collection=style guide&lang=en_US&action=deleterule&rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174&format=xml
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request CURL (on-premises)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
curl -G "http(s)://server_entry_point" \
  --data-urlencode 'cmd=style_guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'access_key=<your-access-key>' \
  --data-urlencode 'collection=style guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'lang=en_US' \
  --data-urlencode 'action=deleterule' \
  --data-urlencode 'rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174' \
  --data-urlencode 'format=xml'
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request CURL (Cloud)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
curl -G "https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api" \
  --data-urlencode 'cmd=style_guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'access_key=<your-access-key>' \
  --data-urlencode 'serviceid=<your-service-id>' \
  --data-urlencode 'collection=style guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'lang=en_US' \
  --data-urlencode 'action=deleterule' \
  --data-urlencode 'rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174' \
  --data-urlencode 'format=xml'
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

***

<details>

<summary>Response</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```xml
<message>Rule(s) deleted.</message>

<result>
	<rule>
		<state>true</state>
		<language/>
		<id>
			<category>STYLE_GUIDE</category>
			<collection>style guide</collection>
			<rule>STYLE_16591413123912100174</rule>
		</id>
		<patterns>
			<patterns>testtexttobereplaced</patterns>
		</patterns>
		<suggestions>
			<suggestions>TestTextToBeReplaced</suggestions>
		</suggestions>
		<description>example</description>
		<context_include/>
		<context_exclude/>
	</rule>
</result>
```

{% endcode %}

</details>
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

#### 2) Delete multiple rules:

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Example (JSON body)" %}

<details>

<summary>Request URL (on-premises)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
http(s)://server_entry_point/?cmd=style_guide&access_key=<your-access-key>&collection=style guide&lang=en_US&action=deleterules&rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174,STYLE_9947069052949400407
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request URL (Cloud)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api?cmd=style_guide&access_key=<your-access-key>&serviceid=<your-service-id>&collection=style guide&lang=en_US&action=deleterules&rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174,STYLE_9947069052949400407
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request CURL (on-premises)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
curl -G "http(s)://server_entry_point" \
  --data-urlencode 'cmd=style_guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'access_key=<your-access-key>' \
  --data-urlencode 'collection=style guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'lang=en_US' \
  --data-urlencode 'action=deleterules' \
  --data-urlencode 'rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174,STYLE_9947069052949400407'
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request CURL (Cloud)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
curl -G "https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api" \
  --data-urlencode 'cmd=style_guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'access_key=<your-access-key>' \
  --data-urlencode 'serviceid=<your-service-id>' \
  --data-urlencode 'collection=style guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'lang=en_US' \
  --data-urlencode 'action=deleterules' \
  --data-urlencode 'rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174,STYLE_9947069052949400407'
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

***

<details>

<summary>Response</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```json
{
    "message": "Rule(s) deleted.",
    "result": [
        {
            "state": true,
            "language": "",
            "id": {
                "category": "STYLE_GUIDE",
                "collection": "style guide",
                "rule": "STYLE_16591413123912100174"
            },
            "patterns": [
                "testtexttobereplaced"
            ],
            "suggestions": [
                "TestTextToBeReplaced"
            ],
            "description": "example",
            "context_include": [],
            "context_exclude": []
        },
        {
            "state": true,
            "language": "",
            "id": {
                "category": "STYLE_GUIDE",
                "collection": "style guide",
                "rule": "STYLE_9947069052949400407"
            },
            "patterns": [
                "missedspacesexample"
            ],
            "suggestions": [
                "missed spaces example"
            ],
            "description": "example2",
            "context_include": [],
            "context_exclude": []
        }
    ]
}
```

{% endcode %}

</details>
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Example (XML body)" %}

<details>

<summary>Request URL (on-premises)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
http(s)://server_entry_point/?cmd=style_guide&access_key=<your-access-key>&collection=style guide&lang=en_US&action=deleterules&rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174,STYLE_9947069052949400407&format=xml
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request URL (Cloud)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```
https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api?cmd=style_guide&access_key=<your-access-key>&serviceid=<your-service-id>&collection=style guide&lang=en_US&action=deleterules&rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174,STYLE_9947069052949400407&format=xml
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request CURL (on-premises)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
curl -G "http(s)://server_entry_point" \
  --data-urlencode 'cmd=style_guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'access_key=<your-access-key>' \
  --data-urlencode 'collection=style guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'lang=en_US' \
  --data-urlencode 'action=deleterules' \
  --data-urlencode 'rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174,STYLE_9947069052949400407' \
  --data-urlencode 'format=xml'
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

<details>

<summary>Request CURL (Cloud)</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```bash
curl -G "https://svc.webspellchecker.net/api" \
  --data-urlencode 'cmd=style_guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'access_key=<your-access-key>' \
  --data-urlencode 'serviceid=<your-service-id>' \
  --data-urlencode 'collection=style guide' \
  --data-urlencode 'lang=en_US' \
  --data-urlencode 'action=deleterules' \
  --data-urlencode 'rule=STYLE_16591413123912100174,STYLE_9947069052949400407' \
  --data-urlencode 'format=xml'
```

{% endcode %}

</details>

***

<details>

<summary>Response</summary>

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```xml
<message>Rule(s) deleted.</message>

<result>
	<rule>
		<state>true</state>
		<language/>
		<id>
			<category>STYLE_GUIDE</category>
			<collection>style guide</collection>
			<rule>STYLE_16591413123912100174</rule>
		</id>
		<patterns>
			<patterns>testtexttobereplaced</patterns>
		</patterns>
		<suggestions>
			<suggestions>TestTextToBeReplaced</suggestions>
		</suggestions>
		<description>example</description>
		<context_include/>
		<context_exclude/>
	</rule>
	<rule>
		<state>true</state>
		<language/>
		<id>
			<category>STYLE_GUIDE</category>
			<collection>style guide</collection>
			<rule>STYLE_9947069052949400407</rule>
		</id>
		<patterns>
			<patterns>missedspacesexample</patterns>
		</patterns>
		<suggestions>
			<suggestions>missed spaces example</suggestions>
		</suggestions>
		<description>example2</description>
		<context_include/>
		<context_exclude/>
	</rule>
</result>
```

{% endcode %}

</details>
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}