Name
DROP TABLE
-- Removes existing tables from a database
Synopsis
Inputs
- name
The name of an existing table to drop.
Outputs
- DROP
The message returned if the command completes successfully.
- ERROR: table "name" does not exist
If the specified table does not exist in the database.
Description
DROP TABLE removes tables from the database.
Only a table's owner can destroy a table.
If a table being destroyed has secondary indexes on it,
they will be removed first. The removal of just a
secondary index will not affect the contents of the underlying table.
Notes
Refer to CREATE TABLE and
ALTER TABLE for information on
how to create or modify tables.
At present, to remove a referenced view you must drop
it explicitly.
Usage
To destroy two tables, films and
distributors:
DROP TABLE films, distributors;
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Compatibility
SQL92
SQL92 specifies some additional capabilities for DROP TABLE:
DROP TABLE table { RESTRICT | CASCADE }
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- RESTRICT
Ensures that only a table with no dependent views or
integrity constraints can be destroyed.
- CASCADE
Any referencing views or integrity constraints
will also be dropped.
PostgreSQL does not have these capabilities.