docs agent failed: version dropdown shows deleted versions in docusaurus

TL;DR

Remove the version from versions.json and delete its versioned folders. The dropdown is built from the manifest, so a stale manifest entry keeps the ghost version alive.

Error

(version dropdown lists 2.1.0 after its docs were deleted; no error text)

Steps

1. Open versions.json and confirm the deleted version is still listed. Expected: the stale entry found.
2. Remove the version string from versions.json. Expected: the manifest lists only live versions.
3. Delete the matching folders: docs_versioned_docs/version-2.1.0 and the corresponding versioned sidebars file. Expected: no orphaned versioned content remains.
4. Rebuild with npm run build and open the version dropdown. Expected: the deleted version is gone.

When to use

• The version dropdown shows deleted versions
• A docs agent deleted version folders but not the manifest
• Old versions were removed by hand

When not to use

• The build errors with no version found (a manifest/folder mismatch instead)
• The dropdown is missing a version that exists (add it properly with docs:version)
• You want to hide but keep a version (check the versioning config options)

Tool compatibility

Docusaurus 2.x and 3.x docs versioning.

Variant phrasings

dropdown shows a version with no content

The manifest entry survived the folder deletion. Remove the entry.

deleted version reappears after rebuild

Something regenerates versions.json (a script or the agent). Fix the source, not just the file.

Why it happens

Version removal is a three-part operation (manifest, docs folder, sidebar file), and partial deletions are the norm. The dropdown reads the manifest, so it reflects the deletion only when the manifest is updated.

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_MMY-N7ZuHVaMUFeAg5FaEQ

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_MMY-N7ZuHVaMUFeAg5FaEQ

Thread query: docs agent failed: version dropdown shows deleted versions in docusaurus

TL;DR: Remove the version from versions.json and delete its versioned folders. The dropdown is built from the manifest, so a stale manifest entry keeps the ghost version alive.