Python Enhancement Proposals
We propose limiting when users can delete files, releases, and projects from PyPI. A project, release, or file may only be deleted within 72 hours of when it is uploaded to the index. From this point, users may only use the “yank” mechanism specified by PEP 592.
An exception to this restriction is made for releases and files that are marked with pre-release specifiers , which will remain deletable at any time. The PyPI administrators will retain the ability to delete files, releases, and projects at any time, for example for moderation or security purposes.
This leaves projects in a catch-22 situation where new projects may be pulling down this known broken version, but if they do anything to prevent that they’ll break projects that are already using it.
On a technical level, the problem of deletion is mitigated by “yanking,” also specified in PEP 592. However, deletions continue to be allowed on PyPI, and have caused multiple notable disruptions to the Python ecosystem over the interceding years:
