# DELEX

> Delete a string when a condition matches.

Use `DELEX` to delete a string when a condition matches.

`IFEQ` deletes the key only when its current value equals the given one and `IFNE` only when it differs. `IFDEQ` and `IFDNE` do the same against a digest of the value, as returned by [`DIGEST`](/redis/commands/string/digest), which avoids sending a large value over the wire just to compare it.

The comparison and the delete are one atomic step, which is what makes the command the correct way to release a lock or a claim: delete the key only if it still holds your token, so you never remove a lock that has expired and been taken by someone else. With no condition it simply deletes the key. The conditional forms require a string value, and a key of another type returns an error without being deleted.

## Syntax

```redis
DELEX <key> [IFEQ <value> | IFNE <value> | IFDEQ <digest> | IFDNE <digest>]
```

## Arguments

| Argument | Required | Repeatable | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `key` | Yes | No | String key to delete. |
| `IFEQ value \| IFNE value` | No | No | Delete when the stored string is equal to or different from the supplied value. |
| `IFDEQ digest \| IFDNE digest` | No | No | Delete when the stored string digest is equal to or different from the supplied 16-character digest. |

## Important points

- Supply at most one condition. With no condition, `DELEX` behaves like deleting a single key.
- Conditional forms accept string keys only. A non-string value returns an error and is not deleted.

## Response

The reply reports the result of the operation. Error replies have the same shape in RESP2 and RESP3 and are surfaced as exceptions by the SDKs below.

| Protocol | Reply |
| --- | --- |
| RESP2 | Integer |
| RESP3 | Integer |

<Note>
  Client libraries often decode bulk strings, maps, sets, and numeric strings into language-native values. The table describes the Redis wire reply.
</Note>

## Examples

TCP examples use the TLS `REDIS_URL` from the Upstash console. REST examples use `UPSTASH_REDIS_REST_URL` and `UPSTASH_REDIS_REST_TOKEN`.

<AccordionGroup>

<Accordion title="Redis CLI" icon="terminal">

```bash
DELEX lock:job-1 IFEQ worker-1
```

</Accordion>

<Accordion title="@upstash/redis" icon="node-js" iconType="brands">

<Note>
  This command is not supported yet in `@upstash/redis`.
</Note>

</Accordion>

<Accordion title="upstash_redis" icon="python" iconType="brands">

<Note>
  This command is not supported yet in `upstash_redis`.
</Note>

</Accordion>

<Accordion title="ioredis" icon="node-js" iconType="brands">

```ts
import Redis from "ioredis";

const redis = new Redis(process.env.REDIS_URL!);
const result = await redis.call("DELEX", "lock:job-1", "IFEQ", "worker-1");
console.log(result);
```

</Accordion>

<Accordion title="node-redis" icon="node-js" iconType="brands">

```ts
import { createClient } from "redis";

const client = await createClient({ url: process.env.REDIS_URL })
  .on("error", console.error)
  .connect();
const result = await client.delEx("lock:job-1", { condition: "IFEQ", matchValue: "worker-1" });
console.log(result);
```

</Accordion>

<Accordion title="redis-py" icon="python" iconType="brands">

```python
import os
import redis

client = redis.from_url(os.environ["REDIS_URL"])
result = client.execute_command("DELEX", "lock:job-1", "IFEQ", "worker-1")
print(result)
```

</Accordion>

<Accordion title="go-redis" icon="golang" iconType="brands">

```go
package main

import (
    "context"
    "fmt"
    "os"

    "github.com/redis/go-redis/v9"
)

func main() {
    opts, err := redis.ParseURL(os.Getenv("REDIS_URL"))
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    client := redis.NewClient(opts)
    result, err := client.DelExArgs(context.Background(), "lock:job-1", redis.DelExArgs{Mode: "IFEQ", MatchValue: "worker-1"}).Result()
    if err != nil {
        panic(err)
    }
    fmt.Println(result)
}
```

</Accordion>

<Accordion title="jedis" icon="java" iconType="brands">

```java
import java.net.URI;

import redis.clients.jedis.Jedis;

try (Jedis jedis = new Jedis(new URI(System.getenv("REDIS_URL")))) {
  Object result = jedis.delex("lock:job-1", redis.clients.jedis.util.CompareCondition.valueEq("worker-1"));
  System.out.println(result);
}
```

</Accordion>

<Accordion title="redis-rs" icon="rust" iconType="brands">

```rust
use redis::TypedCommands;

fn main() -> redis::RedisResult<()> {
    let url = std::env::var("REDIS_URL").expect("REDIS_URL is not set");
    let client = redis::Client::open(url)?;
    let mut connection = client.get_connection()?;

    let result = connection.del_ex("lock:job-1", redis::ValueComparison::ifeq("worker-1"))?;
    println!("{result:?}");
    Ok(())
}
```

</Accordion>

</AccordionGroup>