SQL DROP TABLE
DROP TABLE
is used to delete a table permanently from the database along with all its data. Use it carefully!
🔹 Basic Syntax
DROP TABLE table_name;
- Replace
table_name
with the name of the table you want to delete. - This operation cannot be undone — all data in the table will be lost.
🔹 Example
DROP TABLE employees;
Deletes the employees
table and all its data.
🔹 Important Notes
- You cannot drop a table if other objects depend on it (like foreign keys) without first removing dependencies.
- Some DBMS support
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS
to avoid errors if the table doesn’t exist:
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS employees;
- Be cautious when using this command in production environments.
🧠 Quick Recap
Key Point | Explanation |
---|---|
Command | DROP TABLE table_name; |
Effect | Permanently deletes table & data |
Warning | Irreversible operation! |
Conditional Drop | DROP TABLE IF EXISTS (optional) |
💡 Always double-check before dropping a table to prevent accidental data loss.