[[api-java-delete-watch]]
==== Delete Watch API

The DELETE watch API removes a specific watch (identified by its `id`) from Watcher. Once removed, the document
representing the watchin the `.watches` index will be gone and it will never be executed again.

Please not that deleting a watch **does not** delete any watch execution records related to this watch from
the <<watch-history, Watch History>>.

IMPORTANT:  Deleting a watch must be done via this API only. Do not delete the watch directly from the `.watches` index
            using Elasticsearch's DELETE Document API. When integrating with Shield, a best practice is to make sure
            no `write` privileges are granted to anyone over the `.watches` API.

The following example deletes a watch with the `my-watch` id:

[source,java]
--------------------------------------------------
DeleteWatchResponse deleteWatchResponse = watcherClient.prepareDeleteWatch("my-watch").get();
--------------------------------------------------
