Camunda 8 - Unable to Delete Process Definition

Nikos_M · November 12, 2025, 10:40pm

For some reason I am unable to delete a process definition from the Camunda 8.8 (self managed) Operate UI:

There is no “Delete” button as it is supposed to be based on the documents: Delete resources | Camunda 8 Docs

What I am trying to achieve, is to stop old versions of a process definition to be startable. For example I have:

In Camunda 7 all of these older versions were not available. Why is this happening in Camunda 8?

cpbpm · November 13, 2025, 5:28pm

You can use the API to delete the process definition. Refer the thread.

nathan.loding · November 13, 2025, 7:02pm

@Nikos_M - the API is alternative, but you should be able to delete a definition in Operate. This is a good question, I am not seeing the “Delete” button either! Let me grab an engineer and take a deeper look.

Nikos_M · November 13, 2025, 8:28pm

Thank you for this critical response @nathan.loding , please let us know once you have any feedback.

nathan.loding · November 14, 2025, 4:16pm

@Nikos_M - our engineering team had, at roughly the same time, identified this bug already! It only exists where resource based permissions are utilized. A bug fix has been completed and will be available in the next patch release (I don’t have a date for that yet, unfortunately). In the meantime, a temporary workaround is to use the API.

github.com/camunda/camunda

Deleting resources is not possible from Operate UI with enabled resource based permissions

opened 08:06AM - 25 Sep 25 UTC

closed 03:30PM - 13 Nov 25 UTC

pedesen

kind/bug severity/high support likelihood/high component/operate component/frontend component/backend affects/8.8 affects/8.9 target:8.9.0-alpha2

### ### ### ### ### Description Deleting resources is not possi…ble from Operate UI with enabled resource based permissions and a user with admin role. ### Steps to reproduce 1. In Console: Enable resource based permissions 2. In Identity: Assign the `admin` role to the current user 3. In Operate: Go to process instances list view 4. Select a process and version without any instances or 5. Go to decision instances list view 6. Select a decision and version ### Current behavior There is no Delete button to delete the selected resource (process definition or decision definition) ### Expected behavior There should be a Delete button to delete the selected resource (process definition or decision definition) ### Workaround The only known workaround is to delete a resource manually using the API. ### Environment SaaS ### Version - Component Version: 8.8.0 ### Rootcause FE is reading the permissions from a permission array on the `/api/processes/grouped` endpoint. This endpoint currently returns the following permissions: ```json { "permissions": [ "CREATE_PROCESS_INSTANCE", "READ_PROCESS_DEFINITION", "READ_PROCESS_INSTANCE", "UPDATE_USER_TASK", "CANCEL_PROCESS_INSTANCE", "MODIFY_PROCESS_INSTANCE", "UPDATE_PROCESS_INSTANCE", "DELETE_PROCESS_INSTANCE", "READ_USER_TASK" ] } ``` ### Solution ideas #### Option 1 Remove proactive permission check and always show the delete button. The permission is then checked when the related API endpoint is called. In case the user is not authorized, there would be a notification in the Operate UI. This is consistent with other actions like single instance operations. Pro: straight forward, simple implementation, frontend only Con: Button will always be visible #### Option 2 Align backend and frontend on the correct permission types. Currently Operate FE is looking for `DELETE` permission. So it needs to be aligned which is the right permission. Potentially `DELETE_RESOURCE` or `DELETE_PROCESS` / `DELETE_DECISION`. - BE needs to return that permission in the array - FE needs to read that permission Pro: Button will be visible depending on the permission Con: Not consistent with other actions, frontend and backend work needed ### Dev -> QA handover Versions to validate: - 8.8-SNAPSHOT - 8.9-SNAPSHOT Expected behavior: - The delete resource button is always visible (on decision instances list view and process instances list view) - The button is not visible if no definition version is selected - The button is visible even if the user has no resource based permission for it. If the user clicks the button, the operation should not be triggered and an error notification should be shown in the UI ### Links Support issue: https://jira.camunda.com/browse/SUPPORT-29731 ### Automated Test Impact _No response_

system · February 12, 2026, 4:17pm

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