# Plugin to introduce auto-delete as a category-level option
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/plugin-to-introduce-auto-delete-as-a-category-level-option/323769
**Category:** Development
**Tags:** topic-timers
**Created:** [August 28, 2024, 12:48pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/plugin-to-introduce-auto-delete-as-a-category-level-option/323769 "2024-08-28T12:48:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Heliosurge](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Heliosurge)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2024, 12:48pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/plugin-to-introduce-auto-delete-as-a-category-level-option/323769/1 "2024-08-28T12:48:44Z")
Asked google Gemini AI to create a plugin.
The code would need to be audited by an experienced Discourse plugin DeV.
If there is enough interest maybe we could setup a group to co sponsor a plugin
> **[Create discourse plugin to add category settingse...](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dW3HfNvT2HQdIbXQFy_r4osmv4s0e0RZMiO7vNRcvMs/edit?usp=drivesdk)**
>
> I'd be glad to help you create a Discourse plugin that adds a category setting to automatically delete topics after a specified number of days. Here's the improved code incorporating the best aspects of the provided responses and addressing potential...
**Note** I am not a plugin DeV.
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### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2024, 12:51pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/plugin-to-introduce-auto-delete-as-a-category-level-option/323769/2 "2024-08-28T12:51:39Z")
I’m not 100% sold on sharing untested AI code on here. I’m not sure how useful it is. Perhaps it should be limited to the #Development category for exploration rather than shared in a #Contribute > Feature request.
Also, out of curiosity, what’s the ‘DeV’ format all about?
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### Author:  [@Heliosurge](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Heliosurge)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2024, 1:45pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/plugin-to-introduce-auto-delete-as-a-category-level-option/323769/3 "2024-08-28T13:45:17Z")
Can you move the post to #Development? So a link is present here?
My apologies. “DeV” just short for Developer.
The info contained does say to test in dev environment and use with caution.
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### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2024, 1:47pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/plugin-to-introduce-auto-delete-as-a-category-level-option/323769/4 "2024-08-28T13:47:55Z")
> [@Heliosurge](#):
>
> My apologies. “DeV” just short for Developer.
I got that bit. 🙂 I wasn’t sure if there was a particular reason for the random capitals?
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### Author:  [@Heliosurge](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Heliosurge)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2024, 1:48pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/plugin-to-introduce-auto-delete-as-a-category-level-option/323769/5 "2024-08-28T13:48:56Z")
That is just a me thing. 🤦♂️ 😆
With VR for example usually I and some others use FoV for Field of View. Maybe not needed & more of a styling
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### Author:  [@nathank](https://meta.discourse.org/u/nathank)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2026, 2:22am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/plugin-to-introduce-auto-delete-as-a-category-level-option/323769/6 "2026-02-17T02:22:38Z")
Does auto-delete replies even exist any more?
I can’t find it, and [ask.discourse.org](http://ask.discourse.org) doesn’t have a clue where it has gone.
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### Author:  [@Lilly](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Lilly)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2026, 3:07am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/plugin-to-introduce-auto-delete-as-a-category-level-option/323769/7 "2026-02-17T03:07:05Z")
do you mean this?
> [@Automatically delete replies after N days](https://meta.discourse.org/t/automatically-delete-replies-after-n-days/128759):
>
> For the various knowledge base topics we have I would like to have a special timer for: Replies on this topic are automatically deleted after N days I think this is a very powerful tool for keeping documentation topics clean. I would have this on most documentation topics on meta. It means people can reply to them but they know upfront that replies are like tears in the rain. If you want something permanent: Open a new topic or Edit the OP Even though we can do this pruning …
if that is what you mean, it still exists - it’s under the topic timer
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### Author:  [@nathank](https://meta.discourse.org/u/nathank)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2026, 3:14am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/plugin-to-introduce-auto-delete-as-a-category-level-option/323769/8 "2026-02-17T03:14:48Z")
Ah - but not on the system posts it seems!!!
I updated the FAQs, made a comment, and then wanted to set it to self-destruct after a month. But the option isn’t there:
I then checked it here on [meta.discourse.org](http://meta.discourse.org) (where I am of the lucky TL4s), and didn’t see it either. And jumped to a (faulty) conclusion!
Ok, now I know that it isn’t available as an option on system Topics for some reason. Weird!