spring-projects/spring-boot · error · ReportableException

Failed to delete existing file {}

Error message

Failed to delete existing file {}

What it means

Thrown by ProjectGenerator.writeProject when --force was given but outputFile.delete() returned false - the existing output file could not be removed. The OS-level delete failed due to permissions, a lock, or the path being a non-empty directory.

Source

Thrown at cli/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/init/ProjectGenerator.java:148

			}
			else {
				file.mkdir();
			}
			zipStream.closeEntry();
			entry = zipStream.getNextEntry();
		}
	}

	private void writeProject(ProjectGenerationResponse entity, String output, boolean overwrite) throws IOException {
		File outputFile = new File(System.getProperty("user.dir"), output);
		if (outputFile.exists()) {
			if (!overwrite) {
				throw new ReportableException(
						"File '" + outputFile.getName() + "' already exists. Use --force if you want to "
								+ "overwrite or specify an alternate location.");
			}
			if (!outputFile.delete()) {
				throw new ReportableException("Failed to delete existing file " + outputFile.getPath());
			}
		}
		byte[] content = entity.getContent();
		Assert.state(content != null, "'content' must not be null");
		FileCopyUtils.copy(content, outputFile);
		Log.info("Content saved to '" + output + "'");
	}

	private void fixExecutableFlag(File dir, String fileName) {
		File f = new File(dir, fileName);
		if (f.exists()) {
			f.setExecutable(true, false);
		}
	}

}

View on GitHub (pinned to 270dfe353f)

Solutions

1. Close any program holding the file open (editor, IDE, file manager)
2. Check and fix filesystem permissions on the file and parent directory
3. Ensure --output names a file, not a non-empty directory
4. Delete the file manually, then re-run

// Before overwriting, confirm the file is actually deletable.
java.io.File out = new java.io.File(System.getProperty("user.dir"), request.getOutput());
if (out.exists()) {
    if (!out.canWrite()) {
        throw new IllegalStateException("No write permission on " + out);
    }
    if (out.isDirectory() && out.list().length > 0) {
        throw new IllegalStateException("--output is a non-empty directory: " + out);
    }
}

try {
    generator.generateProject(request, force);
} catch (ReportableException ex) {
    if (ex.getMessage().startsWith("Failed to delete existing file")) {
        Log.error("Could not delete existing output - close editors and check permissions: "
            + ex.getMessage());
    }
    throw ex;
}

When it happens

Trigger: Overwrite mode on, but the target file is locked by another process, read-only, or the path names a non-empty directory; File.delete() returns false.

Common situations: The output file is open in another application (IDE, editor, file manager); the user lacks write/delete permission; --output accidentally names a directory.

Related errors

• Failed to {} from service at '{}' ({})
• Could not save the project, the server did not set a preferr
• {} '{}' already exists. Use --force if you want to overwrite
• File '{}' already exists. Use --force if you want to overwri
• Invalid content received from server ({})

AI-assisted analysis of spring-projects/spring-boot@270dfe353f (2026-08-11). Data as JSON: /api/errors/28c90410c7ed4e5c. Report an issue: GitHub.