Destroying a database cluster destroys the backups of that database. Make sure you download any important data before you destroy a cluster.
How to Destroy PostgreSQL Database Clusters
Last verified 22 Jun 2026
PostgreSQL is an open source, object-relational database built for extensibility, data integrity, and speed. Its concurrency support makes it fully ACID-compliant, and it supports dynamic loading and catalog-driven operations to let users customize its data types, functions, and more.
Deleting a database cluster permanently and irreversibly destroys the cluster, its contents, and its automated backups.
Destroy a Database Cluster Using Automation
You can destroy a database cluster using the DigitalOcean CLI (doctl) or the API.
Destroy a Database Cluster via CLI
Destroy a Database Cluster via API
Destroy a Database Cluster Using the Control Panel
To destroy a database cluster from the control panel, open the cluster’s More menu. Click Destroy to go to the cluster’s Settings page.
In the Destroy this database cluster section at the bottom of the page, click the Destroy button. This opens a Destroy database cluster confirmation window.
To permanently destroy the cluster, type or copy and paste the name of the database cluster into the text field, then click Destroy.