SQL DROP TABLE Statement

The DROP TABLE statement in SQL is used to remove an entire table from a database. This operation deletes the table structure and all of its data, so it should be used with caution. Once a table is dropped, it cannot be recovered unless you have a backup.

Syntax

DROP TABLE table_name;

• table_name is the name of the table you want to remove.

Example

Suppose you have a table named Employees:

CREATE TABLE Employees (
    EmployeeID INT PRIMARY KEY,
    FirstName VARCHAR(50),
    LastName VARCHAR(50),
    HireDate DATE
);

Example SQL Query to Drop the Table

DROP TABLE Employees;

Output

If the Employees table exists and is successfully dropped, you will not receive a detailed output, but if you're using an SQL client or command-line tool, it might simply indicate success, such as:

Query OK, 0 rows affected

If the table does not exist, you might get an error message depending on the SQL database system you're using. For example:

• MySQL: ERROR 1051 (42S02): Unknown table 'Employees'
• PostgreSQL: ERROR: table "employees" does not exist
• SQL Server: Cannot drop the table 'Employees', because it does not exist or you do not have permission.

In summary, the DROP TABLE statement is a powerful command for removing tables and all their data from a database. Be sure to double-check before executing it to avoid unintentional data loss.