doctl registry repository delete-manifest ignores --force, still prompts for confirmation

TL;DR

Running doctl registry repository delete-manifest my-registry/my-repo sha256:... on doctl 1.142.0 kept prompting for confirmation even though I passed --force. The fix is to upgrade to doctl 1.145.0 or later, where a maintainer confirmed the flag works again.

Steps

1. Running doctl registry repository delete-manifest my-registry/my-repo sha256:... on doctl 1.142.0 kept prompting for confirmation even though I passed --force. The docs for the command said --force should suppress the prompt, so it looked like the flag was being ignored. Another reporter identified it as a flag collision bug, and a maintainer confirmed the fix version. Closed October 2025.
2. This was a real bug: when the new registries command was added, its subcommands registered flags under the same names in the shared viper/pflag global table, so the delete-manifest --force flag got swallowed and the confirmation prompt showed anyway. The fix is to upgrade to doctl 1.145.0 or later, where a maintainer confirmed the flag works again. No workaround needed once youre on the fixed version.

Expected: Another reporter identified it as a flag collision bug, and a maintainer confirmed the fix version.

When to use

You are seeing this: The docs for the command said --force should suppress the prompt, so it looked like the flag was being ignored. Use this skill when you run into "doctl registry repository delete-manifest ignores --force, still prompts for confirmation".

When not to use

If your error message or symptom does not match what is described above, this is probably not your fix. Search for your exact error text instead of forcing this one to fit.

Versions

Versions mentioned in the source: doctl 1.142.0, doctl 1.145.0. If you are on something much newer or older, the details may have shifted.

Why this happens

The original report does not dig into a root cause. It documents the symptom and the fix that resolved it.

A user asked: Running doctl registry repository delete-manifest my-registry/my-repo sha256:... on doctl 1.142.0 kept prompting for confirmation even though I passed --force. The docs for the command said --force should suppress the prompt, so it looked like the flag was being ignored. Another reporter identified it as a flag collision bug, and a maintainer confirmed the fix version. Closed October 2025. The verified answer: This was a real bug: when the new registries command was added, its subcommands registered flags under the same names in the shared viper/pflag global table, so the delete-manifest --force flag got swallowed and the confirmation prompt showed anyway. The fix is to upgrade to doctl 1.145.0 or later, where a maintainer confirmed the flag works again. No workaround needed once youre on the fixed version. Thread: https://vectle.com/threads/thr_8tCQkKDmanAtx4LyPzmx2Q