Account Deletion Is Here: A Community-Requested Feature for Privacy and GDPR Compliance

When someone takes the time to open an issue, it means they care about the product. That's exactly what happened when a ProseLint Web user pointed out a gap we needed to close: there was no way to delete an account.

The issue that started it

GitHub user filed Issue #5: Account delete option, noting:

There doesn't appear to be any way to delete my account now that I've made one — which could be problematic under GDPR.

They were right. Under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation, users have the right to erasure (Article 17) — the ability to request that their personal data be deleted. While ProseLint Web is a privacy-first tool that runs linting entirely in the browser with no server-side document processing, user accounts still store an email address and authentication data. That data should be deletable on demand.

What we built

The latest version of ProseLint Web adds a complete account deletion flow on the Account page, designed with security best practices:

Danger Zone section

The Account page now includes a clearly separated "Danger Zone" at the bottom. This visual separation follows industry conventions (GitHub, Vercel, and other platforms use similar patterns) to prevent accidental destructive actions.

Secure confirmation flow

Clicking "Delete Account" opens a confirmation modal that requires you to type your full email address before the delete button becomes active. Your email is displayed and copyable for convenience, but the deliberate act of typing or pasting it ensures this isn't something you do by accident.

Server-side deletion

Account deletion is handled entirely on the server through a secure API endpoint. The flow:

Verifies you are authenticated
Confirms the typed email matches your account
Signs you out
Permanently deletes your account and all associated data

No client-side workarounds, no partial deletions — your data is removed completely.

Why account deletion matters

Even for a tool that processes everything locally, account management is a trust issue. Users should always have full control over their data, including the ability to walk away cleanly. This applies whether you're subject to GDPR, CCPA, or simply believe in data minimization as a principle.

Providing account deletion isn't just a compliance checkbox. It signals that the product respects your autonomy as a user.

Your feedback shapes ProseLint Web

This feature exists because a community member spent two minutes filing an issue. That's all it takes.

ProseLint Web is built in the open, and every feature request, bug report, and piece of feedback gets read. Recent community-driven changes include open source license transparency, and now account deletion — both shipped because users spoke up.

If there's something you'd like to see improved, changed, or added, here's how to reach us:

Request a feature — Ideas for new capabilities
Report a bug — Something broken or not working as expected
Share feedback — General thoughts on how the app works

You can also access these links directly from the Settings menu inside the editor.

Every issue makes ProseLint Web better. Thank you to the community member who filed Issue #5 — and to everyone who continues to help shape this tool.