> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://upstash.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# 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`](/docs/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 theme={"system"}
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.

## Examples

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

> **Redis CLI**
>
> ```bash theme={"system"}
> DELEX lock:job-1 IFEQ worker-1
> ```

> **@upstash/redis**
>
> > [!NOTE]
> >
> > This command is not supported yet in `@upstash/redis`.

> **upstash\_redis**
>
> > [!NOTE]
> >
> > This command is not supported yet in `upstash_redis`.

> **ioredis**
>
> ```ts theme={"system"}
> 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);
> ```

> **node-redis**
>
> ```ts theme={"system"}
> 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);
> ```

> **redis-py**
>
> ```python theme={"system"}
> import os
> import redis
>
> client = redis.from_url(os.environ["REDIS_URL"])
> result = client.delex("lock:job-1", ifeq="worker-1")
> print(result)
> ```

> **go-redis**
>
> ```go theme={"system"}
> 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)
> }
> ```

> **jedis**
>
> ```java theme={"system"}
> 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);
> }
> ```

> **redis-rs**
>
> ```rust theme={"system"}
> 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(())
> }
> ```


## Related topics

- [DIGEST](/docs/redis/commands/string/digest.md)
- [SETNX](/docs/redis/commands/string/setnx.md)


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