Uninstall DSH Python SDK: venv, DSH_HOME and sessions

Uninstalling the DeepSeek Harness Python SDK is two problems, not one: the venv contains the package and runtime, while the explicit dsh_home contains profiles, plugins, credentials, settings, and sessions. They are independent. Remove only the venv and data remains; remove only the home and the Python package remains, ready to create a fresh home on the next call.

DeepSeek Harness: Identify the layers first

Install location and data location are separate, which is why SDK uninstalls often look incomplete. Compare:(source)

The official docs are explicit: the SDK and its examples never silently read ~/.dsh. Data in ~/.dsh does not prove the SDK used it. Find the dsh_home in the project code before deleting anything.

DeepSeek Harness: What is inside dsh_home

List the directory before deleting so you do not remove sessions you still need. Typical contents:(source)

• profiles/sdk-minimal/ — package.json, cordis.patch.yml, and plugin dependencies.
• sessions/ — uncompressed JSONL logs with conversations and tool results.
• Credentials and settings — provider keys and settings, usually under the home root.
• Other profiles — any additional profiles you created in the same home.

Run ls first, then decide between deleting the whole directory, only profiles/, or only sessions/. Deleting sessions does not remove plugins; deleting profiles does not remove conversation history.

DeepSeek Harness: Remove the venv and package

The cleanest route is deleting the whole venv; if you want to keep other dependencies, uninstall the SDK inside it. Two routes:(source)

1. Delete the venv — exit the environment, then remove the directory. Expected: which dsh no longer points at that venv.
2. Uninstall inside the venv — python -m pip uninstall deepseek-harness-sdk. Expected: the package is removed while other dependencies remain.
3. Check global installs — if you previously installed into system or user Python, uninstall there too. Expected: which -a dsh lists only the entries you intend to keep.

Example:

deactivate 2>/dev/null || true
rm -rf /srv/work/demo/.venv

Stop running SDK processes first. If the bundled dsh process is still running, deleting files underneath it can leave a partially removed state.

DeepSeek Harness: Clean dsh_home

The home is the data layer; decide about profiles, plugins, credentials, settings, and sessions separately. Steps:(source)

1. Confirm the path — read it from code or environment variables. Expected: not an assumed ~/.dsh.
2. List contents — inspect profiles/, sessions/, and plugin directories. Expected: know what to back up and what to delete.
3. Back up sessions — copy sessions/ somewhere safe. Expected: raw JSONL is available for later review.
4. Delete the home — rm -rf <dsh_home>. Expected: the next SDK start creates a fresh minimal home.

To reset configuration but keep conversations, delete only profiles/. To clear conversations but keep plugins, delete only sessions/. Do not start with the whole directory.

DeepSeek Harness: Sessions and credentials

Sessions are uncompressed JSONL; credentials and settings also live in the home, so decide their fate separately. Guidelines:(source)

• Session logs — contain conversations and tool results, possibly sensitive. Recommendation: back up for audit or delete with the home.
• Credentials — provider keys may live in the home. Recommendation: remove them when no longer needed; do not delete sessions and leave keys behind.
• Plugins — installed under the profile’s node_modules and removed with the home. Recommendation: record the plugin list for a future environment.
• Settings — stored with the profile. Recommendation: export or back up patches you want to reuse.

If the machine also runs a global dsh, delete only the SDK home and leave ~/.dsh alone.

DeepSeek Harness: Three cleanup scopes

Choose “remove package / clear data / leave no trace” deliberately; do not default to deleting everything. Compare:(source)

1. Light: delete venv only — keep the home for a future reinstall. Cost: sessions and plugins stay on disk.
2. Standard: delete venv and home — remove package and data. Cost: conversations are unrecoverable; a reinstall starts from scratch.
3. Thorough: also clear caches and backups — delete pip cache, temp directories, and old backups. Cost: irreversible; verify first.

Most development machines need the standard scope. Shared or regulated machines may need the thorough scope.

Verify after uninstalling

Check both layers after the operation, or a hidden entry will recreate the old state. Three checks:

1. Record paths first — write down the absolute venv and dsh_home paths. Expected: no accidental deletion of global ~/.dsh.
2. Check commands — which -a dsh and python -m pip show deepseek-harness-sdk. Expected: only the installations you intended to keep.
3. Run once from a new environment — use a new venv or system Python for a minimal task. Expected: it does not recreate the old home or load old plugins.

If step 3 recreates the old home, the code still hardcodes the old path; fix the code before cleaning further.

DeepSeek Harness FAQ

The dsh command still works after uninstalling—did I miss something? Not necessarily. dsh may come from a global install or another venv. Use which -a dsh to see the source.

Does deleting sessions affect plugins? No. Sessions are logs; plugins live in the profile directory. Plugins remain, but old conversations are gone.

How do I reuse old configuration after reinstalling? Reuse the same dsh_home and restore the original cordis.patch.yml. Do not reuse the old venv; the runtime versions may not match.

The short version: the SDK has a package layer and a home layer; decide both separately instead of treating “uninstall” as one directory deletion.