SQL DROP Command : Introduction

• SQL DROP Command is also a SQL DDL Command and is used to perform same functionality as TRUNCATE command. i.e. to delete the existing table completely from the database leaving nothing behind.
• It means, all the values, attributes, rows, column and overall structure of the table is deleted completely.
• If we wish to insert values in the same table, it need to be recreated first and then only the values can be inserted.
• DROP Command once executed cannot be rolled back. It means, once the table is deleted, it cannot be retrieved again.

SQL DROP Command : Syntax

• The syntax for SQL DROP Command is quiet similar to that of TRUNCATE command except for the DROP keyword that is used in DROP command. 

SQL DROP Command : Syntax

SQL DROP Command : Example

• Consider the student_details and teacher_details table over which we need to perform DROP command.

Table : student_details


Table : teacher_details


Example-1 : We wish to delete the student_details table. It can be done by executing below query.

Query : DROP Table student_details;

Output : No table to display.

Example-2 : We wish to delete the teacher_details table. It can be done by executing below query.

Query : DROP Table teacher_details;

Output : No table to display.

NOTE : As the structure of table is deleted completely, If we need to insert values in the table again, it cannot be done without creating a new table. Hence, new table needs to created first and then values to the table can be inserted through INSERT command.