Point deletion versus collection deletion
Deleting points removes selected records from an existing collection. The collection remains available, so its vector configuration, payload indexes, and other collection-level schema remain in place for subsequent writes and searches.
Deleting a collection is a much larger operation: it removes the collection and its stored data, and therefore the collection's vector configuration and indexes disappear with it. Recreating it requires defining the vector configuration and rebuilding any required indexes or data.
The trade-off is targeted cleanup versus destructive reset. Point deletion is appropriate for normal lifecycle events, while collection deletion is typically used for deliberate teardown, migrations, or rebuilding a dataset.
A common mistake is treating collection deletion as a fast way to clear stale points without considering recovery. It is destructive, so I would require explicit operational safeguards and verify that the collection can be reconstructed from a source of truth.
Point deletion preserves the collection schema and configuration
Collection deletion removes the collection's data and configuration
Recreating a collection requires restoring its vector configuration and indexes
Treat collection deletion as a destructive administrative operation
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