objectstack-ai · os-zhuang · Jul 18, 2026 · Jul 18, 2026
diff --git a/.changeset/trim-validation-delete-event.md b/.changeset/trim-validation-delete-event.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@objectstack/spec": patch
+---
+
+Remove the dead `'delete'` member from the validation-rule `events` enum (#3184). The rule evaluator only runs on the insert/update write path — `engine.delete` never invokes it — so a rule declaring `events: ['delete']` was a silent no-op (flagged in #3106 and `docs/audits/2026-06-validationschema-property-liveness.md`). The enum now admits only `insert`/`update`; guard deletions with a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook instead. No shipped metadata declares `events: ['delete']`; any off-spec metadata that did now fails loudly at `os validate` / registration rather than parsing and doing nothing. Also narrows the two hand-written mirrors (`rule-validator.ts` `BaseRule`, `metadata-protocol` JSON-schema form helper — whose stale `type` enum listing removed `unique`/`async`/`custom` variants is corrected in the same pass), updates the doc comments, the published data skill, and the hand-written validation doc.
diff --git a/content/docs/data-modeling/validation.mdx b/content/docs/data-modeling/validation.mdx
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ All validation types share these base properties:
 | `active` | `boolean` | optional | Is the rule active (default: `true`) |
 | `severity` | `enum` | optional | `'error'` (blocks save), `'warning'`, `'info'` (default: `'error'`) |
 | `message` | `string` | ✅ | User-facing error message |
-| `events` | `enum[]` | optional | When to run: `'insert'`, `'update'`, `'delete'` (default: `['insert', 'update']`) |
+| `events` | `enum[]` | optional | When to run: `'insert'`, `'update'` (default: `['insert', 'update']`). No `'delete'` — guard deletions with a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook |
 | `priority` | `number` | optional | Execution order (0-9999, lower runs first, default: 100) |
 | `tags` | `string[]` | optional | Categorization tags |
 

diff --git a/content/docs/references/data/validation.mdx b/content/docs/references/data/validation.mdx
@@ -23,9 +23,11 @@ no I/O. Everything advertised here runs on the write path (see
 
 `objectql/src/validation/rule-validator.ts`) — insert, single-id update, and multi-row
 
-(`multi: true`) update, where the evaluator runs once per matched row (#3106). One known gap:
+(`multi: true`) update, where the evaluator runs once per matched row (#3106); nothing is a
 
-rules declaring `events: ['delete']` are not yet evaluated on delete (tracked separately).
+silent no-op. The `events` enum admits only `insert`/`update` for this reason — see the
+
+`delete` note under "Deliberately NOT validation rules" below.
 
 The system supports these validation types:
 
@@ -65,6 +67,14 @@ the form layer, or enforce the underlying invariant with a `unique` index / life
 
 extension point for arbitrary validation code.
 
+- **Delete-time guards** (`events: ['delete']`) → a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook. The evaluator
+
+only runs on the insert/update write path (a delete carries no record payload to validate), so
+
+a `delete` event was a proven silent no-op — the enum value was removed rather than left
+
+advertised-but-unenforced (#3184; see docs/audits/2026-06-validationschema-property-liveness.md).
+
 ## Salesforce Comparison
 
 ObjectStack validation rules are inspired by Salesforce validation rules but enhanced:
@@ -131,7 +141,7 @@ const result = ConditionalValidation.parse(data);
 | **label** | `string` | optional | Human-readable label for the rule listing |
 | **description** | `string` | optional | Administrative notes explaining the business reason |
 | **active** | `boolean` | optional |  |
-| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update' \| 'delete'>[]` | optional | Validation contexts |
+| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update'>[]` | optional | Write contexts the rule runs on. `delete` is intentionally absent — the evaluator only runs on the insert/update write path; guard deletions with a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook |
 | **priority** | `integer` | optional | Execution priority (lower runs first, default: 100) |
 | **tags** | `string[]` | optional | Categorization tags (e.g., "compliance", "billing") |
 | **severity** | `Enum<'error' \| 'warning' \| 'info'>` | optional |  |
@@ -154,7 +164,7 @@ const result = ConditionalValidation.parse(data);
 | **label** | `string` | optional | Human-readable label for the rule listing |
 | **description** | `string` | optional | Administrative notes explaining the business reason |
 | **active** | `boolean` | optional |  |
-| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update' \| 'delete'>[]` | optional | Validation contexts |
+| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update'>[]` | optional | Write contexts the rule runs on. `delete` is intentionally absent — the evaluator only runs on the insert/update write path; guard deletions with a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook |
 | **priority** | `integer` | optional | Execution priority (lower runs first, default: 100) |
 | **tags** | `string[]` | optional | Categorization tags (e.g., "compliance", "billing") |
 | **severity** | `Enum<'error' \| 'warning' \| 'info'>` | optional |  |
@@ -176,7 +186,7 @@ const result = ConditionalValidation.parse(data);
 | **label** | `string` | optional | Human-readable label for the rule listing |
 | **description** | `string` | optional | Administrative notes explaining the business reason |
 | **active** | `boolean` | ✅ |  |
-| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update' \| 'delete'>[]` | ✅ | Validation contexts |
+| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update'>[]` | ✅ | Write contexts the rule runs on. `delete` is intentionally absent — the evaluator only runs on the insert/update write path; guard deletions with a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook |
 | **priority** | `integer` | ✅ | Execution priority (lower runs first, default: 100) |
 | **tags** | `string[]` | optional | Categorization tags (e.g., "compliance", "billing") |
 | **severity** | `Enum<'error' \| 'warning' \| 'info'>` | ✅ |  |
@@ -199,7 +209,7 @@ const result = ConditionalValidation.parse(data);
 | **label** | `string` | optional | Human-readable label for the rule listing |
 | **description** | `string` | optional | Administrative notes explaining the business reason |
 | **active** | `boolean` | ✅ |  |
-| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update' \| 'delete'>[]` | ✅ | Validation contexts |
+| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update'>[]` | ✅ | Write contexts the rule runs on. `delete` is intentionally absent — the evaluator only runs on the insert/update write path; guard deletions with a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook |
 | **priority** | `integer` | ✅ | Execution priority (lower runs first, default: 100) |
 | **tags** | `string[]` | optional | Categorization tags (e.g., "compliance", "billing") |
 | **severity** | `Enum<'error' \| 'warning' \| 'info'>` | ✅ |  |
@@ -221,7 +231,7 @@ const result = ConditionalValidation.parse(data);
 | **label** | `string` | optional | Human-readable label for the rule listing |
 | **description** | `string` | optional | Administrative notes explaining the business reason |
 | **active** | `boolean` | optional |  |
-| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update' \| 'delete'>[]` | optional | Validation contexts |
+| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update'>[]` | optional | Write contexts the rule runs on. `delete` is intentionally absent — the evaluator only runs on the insert/update write path; guard deletions with a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook |
 | **priority** | `integer` | optional | Execution priority (lower runs first, default: 100) |
 | **tags** | `string[]` | optional | Categorization tags (e.g., "compliance", "billing") |
 | **severity** | `Enum<'error' \| 'warning' \| 'info'>` | optional |  |
@@ -242,7 +252,7 @@ const result = ConditionalValidation.parse(data);
 | **label** | `string` | optional | Human-readable label for the rule listing |
 | **description** | `string` | optional | Administrative notes explaining the business reason |
 | **active** | `boolean` | ✅ |  |
-| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update' \| 'delete'>[]` | ✅ | Validation contexts |
+| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update'>[]` | ✅ | Write contexts the rule runs on. `delete` is intentionally absent — the evaluator only runs on the insert/update write path; guard deletions with a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook |
 | **priority** | `integer` | ✅ | Execution priority (lower runs first, default: 100) |
 | **tags** | `string[]` | optional | Categorization tags (e.g., "compliance", "billing") |
 | **severity** | `Enum<'error' \| 'warning' \| 'info'>` | ✅ |  |
@@ -272,7 +282,7 @@ This schema accepts one of the following structures:
 | **label** | `string` | optional | Human-readable label for the rule listing |
 | **description** | `string` | optional | Administrative notes explaining the business reason |
 | **active** | `boolean` | optional |  |
-| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update' \| 'delete'>[]` | optional | Validation contexts |
+| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update'>[]` | optional | Write contexts the rule runs on. `delete` is intentionally absent — the evaluator only runs on the insert/update write path; guard deletions with a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook |
 | **priority** | `integer` | optional | Execution priority (lower runs first, default: 100) |
 | **tags** | `string[]` | optional | Categorization tags (e.g., "compliance", "billing") |
 | **severity** | `Enum<'error' \| 'warning' \| 'info'>` | optional |  |
@@ -294,7 +304,7 @@ This schema accepts one of the following structures:
 | **label** | `string` | optional | Human-readable label for the rule listing |
 | **description** | `string` | optional | Administrative notes explaining the business reason |
 | **active** | `boolean` | optional |  |
-| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update' \| 'delete'>[]` | optional | Validation contexts |
+| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update'>[]` | optional | Write contexts the rule runs on. `delete` is intentionally absent — the evaluator only runs on the insert/update write path; guard deletions with a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook |
 | **priority** | `integer` | optional | Execution priority (lower runs first, default: 100) |
 | **tags** | `string[]` | optional | Categorization tags (e.g., "compliance", "billing") |
 | **severity** | `Enum<'error' \| 'warning' \| 'info'>` | optional |  |
@@ -317,7 +327,7 @@ This schema accepts one of the following structures:
 | **label** | `string` | optional | Human-readable label for the rule listing |
 | **description** | `string` | optional | Administrative notes explaining the business reason |
 | **active** | `boolean` | optional |  |
-| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update' \| 'delete'>[]` | optional | Validation contexts |
+| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update'>[]` | optional | Write contexts the rule runs on. `delete` is intentionally absent — the evaluator only runs on the insert/update write path; guard deletions with a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook |
 | **priority** | `integer` | optional | Execution priority (lower runs first, default: 100) |
 | **tags** | `string[]` | optional | Categorization tags (e.g., "compliance", "billing") |
 | **severity** | `Enum<'error' \| 'warning' \| 'info'>` | optional |  |
@@ -341,7 +351,7 @@ This schema accepts one of the following structures:
 | **label** | `string` | optional | Human-readable label for the rule listing |
 | **description** | `string` | optional | Administrative notes explaining the business reason |
 | **active** | `boolean` | optional |  |
-| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update' \| 'delete'>[]` | optional | Validation contexts |
+| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update'>[]` | optional | Write contexts the rule runs on. `delete` is intentionally absent — the evaluator only runs on the insert/update write path; guard deletions with a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook |
 | **priority** | `integer` | optional | Execution priority (lower runs first, default: 100) |
 | **tags** | `string[]` | optional | Categorization tags (e.g., "compliance", "billing") |
 | **severity** | `Enum<'error' \| 'warning' \| 'info'>` | optional |  |
@@ -364,7 +374,7 @@ This schema accepts one of the following structures:
 | **label** | `string` | optional | Human-readable label for the rule listing |
 | **description** | `string` | optional | Administrative notes explaining the business reason |
 | **active** | `boolean` | optional |  |
-| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update' \| 'delete'>[]` | optional | Validation contexts |
+| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update'>[]` | optional | Write contexts the rule runs on. `delete` is intentionally absent — the evaluator only runs on the insert/update write path; guard deletions with a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook |
 | **priority** | `integer` | optional | Execution priority (lower runs first, default: 100) |
 | **tags** | `string[]` | optional | Categorization tags (e.g., "compliance", "billing") |
 | **severity** | `Enum<'error' \| 'warning' \| 'info'>` | optional |  |
@@ -387,7 +397,7 @@ This schema accepts one of the following structures:
 | **label** | `string` | optional | Human-readable label for the rule listing |
 | **description** | `string` | optional | Administrative notes explaining the business reason |
 | **active** | `boolean` | optional |  |
-| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update' \| 'delete'>[]` | optional | Validation contexts |
+| **events** | `Enum<'insert' \| 'update'>[]` | optional | Write contexts the rule runs on. `delete` is intentionally absent — the evaluator only runs on the insert/update write path; guard deletions with a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook |
 | **priority** | `integer` | optional | Execution priority (lower runs first, default: 100) |
 | **tags** | `string[]` | optional | Categorization tags (e.g., "compliance", "billing") |
 | **severity** | `Enum<'error' \| 'warning' \| 'info'>` | optional |  |

diff --git a/docs/design/builder-ui.md b/docs/design/builder-ui.md
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ field editor is shared by both Records (selected column) and Fields (selected fi
 union of six declarative rule types (`packages/spec/src/data/validation.zod.ts`):
 `script` (CEL predicate → fails when true), `cross_field`, `format`,
 `state_machine`, `json`, `conditional`. Each carries `message`, `severity`
-(error/warning/info), and `events` (insert/update/delete).
+(error/warning/info), and `events` (insert/update).
 
 - **Field-level** (required / unique / format) → configured in the **field editor**
   (they belong to the field).

diff --git a/packages/metadata-protocol/src/protocol.ts b/packages/metadata-protocol/src/protocol.ts
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ const HAND_CRAFTED_SCHEMAS: Record<string, Record<string, unknown>> = {
         additionalProperties: true,
     },
     // Validation rules live inside `object.validations[]`. The canonical
-    // ValidationRuleSchema is a discriminated union of 9 variants; the
+    // ValidationRuleSchema is a discriminated union of 6 variants; the
     // generic SchemaForm renderer treats unions as opaque JSON, so we
     // ship a *flat* form-friendly schema covering the common base
     // properties plus every variant-specific field as optional. Save-time
@@ -215,13 +215,10 @@ const HAND_CRAFTED_SCHEMAS: Record<string, Record<string, unknown>> = {
                 type: 'string',
                 enum: [
                     'script',
-                    'unique',
                     'state_machine',
                     'format',
                     'cross_field',
-                    'json',
-                    'async',
-                    'custom',
+                    'json_schema',
                     'conditional',
                 ],
                 default: 'script',
@@ -230,7 +227,7 @@ const HAND_CRAFTED_SCHEMAS: Record<string, Record<string, unknown>> = {
             active: { type: 'boolean', default: true },
             events: {
                 type: 'array',
-                items: { type: 'string', enum: ['insert', 'update', 'delete'] },
+                items: { type: 'string', enum: ['insert', 'update'] },
                 default: ['insert', 'update'],
             },
             priority: { type: 'number', default: 100, minimum: 0, maximum: 9999 },

diff --git a/packages/objectql/src/validation/rule-validator.ts b/packages/objectql/src/validation/rule-validator.ts
@@ -37,9 +37,10 @@
  * (uniqueness → DB index, async → form layer, custom → lifecycle hook). The
  * engine invokes this evaluator on insert, single-id update, and — per matched
  * row — multi-row (`multi: true`) update (#3106), so no declared rule is a
- * silent no-op on the write path. Known gap: rules declaring
- * `events: ['delete']` are never evaluated (`engine.delete` does not call this
- * evaluator; tracked separately — see below).
+ * silent no-op on the write path. The `events` enum admits only `insert`/`update`
+ * to match: `delete` carries no record payload to validate, so it was removed
+ * from the spec rather than advertised-but-unenforced (#3184). Guard deletions
+ * with a `beforeDelete` lifecycle hook instead.
  *
  * ## Execution-control semantics (from `BaseValidationSchema`)
  *
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ interface BaseRule {
   name: string;
   message: string;
   active?: boolean;
-  events?: Array<'insert' | 'update' | 'delete'>;
+  events?: Array<'insert' | 'update'>;
   priority?: number;
   severity?: 'error' | 'warning' | 'info';
 }

diff --git a/packages/spec/src/data/validation.test.ts b/packages/spec/src/data/validation.test.ts
@@ -1116,3 +1116,45 @@ describe('ValidationRule - priority property', () => {
     })).toThrow();
   });
 });
+
+describe('ValidationRule - events property (#3184)', () => {
+  it('should accept insert / update events', () => {
+    const rule = ScriptValidationSchema.parse({
+      type: 'script',
+      name: 'on_write',
+      message: 'x',
+      condition: 'true',
+      events: ['insert', 'update'],
+    });
+    expect(rule.events).toEqual(['insert', 'update']);
+  });
+
+  it('should default events to insert + update', () => {
+    const rule = ScriptValidationSchema.parse({
+      type: 'script',
+      name: 'default_events',
+      message: 'x',
+      condition: 'true',
+    });
+    expect(rule.events).toEqual(['insert', 'update']);
+  });
+
+  it("should reject events: ['delete'] — the evaluator never runs on delete; guard deletions with a beforeDelete hook", () => {
+    expect(() => ScriptValidationSchema.parse({
+      type: 'script',
+      name: 'on_delete',
+      message: 'x',
+      condition: 'true',
+      events: ['delete'],
+    })).toThrow();
+
+    // also rejected via the discriminated-union entry point
+    expect(() => ValidationRuleSchema.parse({
+      type: 'script',
+      name: 'on_delete_union',
+      message: 'x',
+      condition: 'true',
+      events: ['insert', 'delete'],
+    })).toThrow();
+  });
+});