---
id: 38a5f8a8-c678-4188-bfe5-2c530462d0b6
---

# Kafka Topic Deletion Failures.
---

Kafka Topic Deletion Failures refer to situations where attempts to delete topics in the Kafka messaging system result in errors or failures. This can occur due to a variety of reasons, including configuration issues, permissions problems, or other system errors. When these failures occur, it can impact the overall performance and functionality of the Kafka system, potentially leading to data loss or other issues.

### Parameters
```shell
export PORT="PLACEHOLDER"

export TOPIC_NAME="PLACEHOLDER"

export ZOOKEEPER_SERVER="PLACEHOLDER"

export PATH_TO_KAFKA="PLACEHOLDER"

export KAFKA_SERVER="PLACEHOLDER"

export GROUP_NAME="PLACEHOLDER"
```

## Debug

### Check the status of the Kafka broker
```shell
systemctl status kafka
```

### Check if the topic exists
```shell
${PATH_TO_KAFKA}/bin/kafka-topics.sh --zookeeper ${ZOOKEEPER_SERVER}:${PORT} --describe --topic ${TOPIC_NAME}
```

### Check if the topic has any partitions
```shell
${PATH_TO_KAFKA}/bin/kafka-topics.sh --zookeeper ${ZOOKEEPER_SERVER}:${PORT} --describe --topic ${TOPIC_NAME} | grep "PartitionCount"
```

### Check if there are any active consumers for the topic
```shell
${PATH_TO_KAFKA}/bin/kafka-consumer-groups.sh --bootstrap-server ${KAFKA_SERVER}:${PORT} --describe --group ${GROUP_NAME}
```

### Check if there are any active producers for the topic
```shell
${PATH_TO_KAFKA}/bin/kafka-console-producer.sh --broker-list ${KAFKA_SERVER}:${PORT} --topic ${TOPIC_NAME}
```

### Check the logs for any errors related to the topic deletion
```shell
tail -f ${PATH_TO_KAFKA}/logs/server.log | grep "Error deleting topic"
```

## Repair

### Verify if the topic is configured with retention policy and if it is, disable it.
```shell


#!/bin/bash



# Set the topic name

topic=${TOPIC_NAME}



# Check if the topic has a retention policy set

retention=$(kafka-configs.sh --describe --entity-type topics --entity-name $topic --zookeeper ${ZOOKEEPER_HOST}:${ZOOKEEPER_PORT} | grep retention.ms)



if [ -n "$retention" ]; then

    # Disable the retention policy

    kafka-configs.sh --alter --entity-type topics --entity-name $topic --delete-config retention.ms --zookeeper ${ZOOKEEPER_HOST}:${ZOOKEEPER_PORT}

    echo "Retention policy disabled for topic $topic"

else

    echo "No retention policy found for topic $topic"

fi


```

### Check if there are any active consumers or producers for the Kafka topic and stop them.
```shell


#!/bin/bash



# Check if there are any active consumers or producers for the Kafka topic and stop them.



# Set the topic name

topic=${TOPIC_NAME}



# Stop all active consumers

for consumer in $(kafka-consumer-groups --bootstrap-server ${KAFKA_SERVER}:${PORT} --list | grep $topic); do

  kafka-consumer-groups --bootstrap-server ${KAFKA_SERVER}:${PORT} --group $consumer --topic $topic --reset-offsets --to-earliest --execute

done



# Stop all active producers

for producer in $(ps aux | grep kafka-producer | grep $topic | awk '{print $2}'); do

  kill -9 $producer

done



echo "All active consumers and producers for topic $topic have been stopped."


```

Kafka Topic Deletion Failures refer to situations where attempts to delete topics in the Kafka messaging system result in errors or failures. This can occur due to a variety of reasons, including configuration issues, permissions problems, or other system errors. When these failures occur, it can impact the overall performance and functionality of the Kafka system, potentially leading to data loss or other issues.


```shell
export PORT="PLACEHOLDER"

export TOPIC_NAME="PLACEHOLDER"

export ZOOKEEPER_SERVER="PLACEHOLDER"

export PATH_TO_KAFKA="PLACEHOLDER"

export KAFKA_SERVER="PLACEHOLDER"

export GROUP_NAME="PLACEHOLDER"
```


### Check the status of the Kafka broker

```shell
systemctl status kafka
```

### Check if the topic exists

```shell
${PATH_TO_KAFKA}/bin/kafka-topics.sh --zookeeper ${ZOOKEEPER_SERVER}:${PORT} --describe --topic ${TOPIC_NAME}
```

### Check if the topic has any partitions

```shell
${PATH_TO_KAFKA}/bin/kafka-topics.sh --zookeeper ${ZOOKEEPER_SERVER}:${PORT} --describe --topic ${TOPIC_NAME} | grep "PartitionCount"
```

### Check if there are any active consumers for the topic

```shell
${PATH_TO_KAFKA}/bin/kafka-consumer-groups.sh --bootstrap-server ${KAFKA_SERVER}:${PORT} --describe --group ${GROUP_NAME}
```

### Check if there are any active producers for the topic

```shell
${PATH_TO_KAFKA}/bin/kafka-console-producer.sh --broker-list ${KAFKA_SERVER}:${PORT} --topic ${TOPIC_NAME}
```

### Check the logs for any errors related to the topic deletion

```shell
tail -f ${PATH_TO_KAFKA}/logs/server.log | grep "Error deleting topic"
```


### Verify if the topic is configured with retention policy and if it is, disable it.

```shell


#!/bin/bash



# Set the topic name

topic=${TOPIC_NAME}



# Check if the topic has a retention policy set

retention=$(kafka-configs.sh --describe --entity-type topics --entity-name $topic --zookeeper ${ZOOKEEPER_HOST}:${ZOOKEEPER_PORT} | grep retention.ms)



if [ -n "$retention" ]; then

    # Disable the retention policy

    kafka-configs.sh --alter --entity-type topics --entity-name $topic --delete-config retention.ms --zookeeper ${ZOOKEEPER_HOST}:${ZOOKEEPER_PORT}

    echo "Retention policy disabled for topic $topic"

else

    echo "No retention policy found for topic $topic"

fi


```

### Check if there are any active consumers or producers for the Kafka topic and stop them.

```shell


#!/bin/bash



# Check if there are any active consumers or producers for the Kafka topic and stop them.



# Set the topic name

topic=${TOPIC_NAME}



# Stop all active consumers

for consumer in $(kafka-consumer-groups --bootstrap-server ${KAFKA_SERVER}:${PORT} --list | grep $topic); do

  kafka-consumer-groups --bootstrap-server ${KAFKA_SERVER}:${PORT} --group $consumer --topic $topic --reset-offsets --to-earliest --execute

done



# Stop all active producers

for producer in $(ps aux | grep kafka-producer | grep $topic | awk '{print $2}'); do

  kill -9 $producer

done



echo "All active consumers and producers for topic $topic have been stopped."


```


Kafka Topic Deletion Failures.

Overview

Parameters

Debug

Check the status of the Kafka broker

Check if the topic exists

Check if the topic has any partitions

Check if there are any active consumers for the topic

Check if there are any active producers for the topic

Repair

Verify if the topic is configured with retention policy and if it is, disable it.

Check if there are any active consumers or producers for the Kafka topic and stop them.

Learn more

Related Runbooks

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