apache/hadoop · error · IllegalArgumentException

Delete missing is applicable only with update or overwrite o

Error message

Delete missing is applicable only with update or overwrite options

What it means

Error "Delete missing is applicable only with update or overwrite options" thrown in apache/hadoop.

Source

Thrown at hadoop-tools/hadoop-distcp/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/tools/DistCpOptions.java:605

    private void validate() {
      if ((useDiff || useRdiff) && deleteMissing) {
        // -delete and -diff/-rdiff are mutually exclusive.
        throw new IllegalArgumentException("-delete and -diff/-rdiff are "
            + "mutually exclusive. The -delete option will be ignored.");
      }

      if (!atomicCommit && atomicWorkPath != null) {
        throw new IllegalArgumentException(
            "-tmp work-path can only be specified along with -atomic");
      }

      if (syncFolder && atomicCommit) {
        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Atomic commit can't be used with "
            + "sync folder or overwrite options");
      }

      if (deleteMissing && !(overwrite || syncFolder)) {
        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Delete missing is applicable "
            + "only with update or overwrite options");
      }

      if (overwrite && syncFolder) {
        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Overwrite and update options are "
            + "mutually exclusive");
      }

      if (!syncFolder && append) {
        throw new IllegalArgumentException(
            "Append is valid only with update options");
      }
      if (skipCRC && append) {
        throw new IllegalArgumentException(
            "Append is disallowed when skipping CRC");
      }
      if (!syncFolder && (useDiff || useRdiff)) {
        throw new IllegalArgumentException(

View on GitHub (pinned to 2add963021)

Solutions

1. Use -delete only together with -update or -overwrite.
2. Drop -delete if neither update nor overwrite is requested.

When it happens

Trigger: distcp -delete is specified without -update or -overwrite.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of apache/hadoop@2add963021 (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/4af1a0df927b2bfe. Report an issue: GitHub.