virsh-snapshot-delete

virsh snapshot-delete domain {snapshot | --current} [--metadata] [{--children | --children-only}]

virsh snapshot-delete removes a snapshot from a domain. If the snapshot has children and you do not pass --children / --children-only, libvirt merges this snapshot's changes into the children so the remaining tree stays consistent.Without --metadata, deleting a snapshot also drops the data for that point in time (internal snapshot content or managed files). With --metadata, only libvirt's record is removed.This is a virsh subcommand, not a separate binary.

snapshot | --current

Snapshot to delete, or the domain's current snapshot.

Also delete descendant snapshots. Mutually exclusive with --children-only.

Delete descendants but keep this snapshot.

Delete only libvirt's snapshot metadata; leave the underlying snapshot data for other tools.

Destructive: snapshot contents are gone unless you used --metadata or an external file you keep. Deleting the current snapshot moves "current" to a parent or another snapshot. External qemu snapshots can leave backing-file chains that qemu-img still needs to manage. Needs libvirtd access, usually with privileges to change storage.

Part of libvirt snapshot support in virsh.

virsh(1), virsh-snapshot-list(1), virsh-snapshot-dumpxml(1)

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