'\" t
.\"     Title: DROP TABLE
.\"    Author: The PostgreSQL Global Development Group
.\" Generator: DocBook XSL Stylesheets v1.75.2 <http://docbook.sf.net/>
.\"      Date: 2016
.\"    Manual: PostgreSQL 9.5.2 Documentation
.\"    Source: PostgreSQL 9.5.2
.\"  Language: English
.\"
.TH "DROP TABLE" "5sql" "2016" "PostgreSQL 9.5.2" "PostgreSQL 9.5.2 Documentation"
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.SH "NAME"
DROP_TABLE \- remove a table
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.sp
.nf
DROP TABLE [ IF EXISTS ] \fIname\fR [, \&.\&.\&.] [ CASCADE | RESTRICT ]
.fi
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.PP

\fBDROP TABLE\fR
removes tables from the database\&. Only the table owner, the schema owner, and superuser can drop a table\&. To empty a table of rows without destroying the table, use
\fBDELETE\fR(5)
or
\fBTRUNCATE\fR(5)\&.
.PP

\fBDROP TABLE\fR
always removes any indexes, rules, triggers, and constraints that exist for the target table\&. However, to drop a table that is referenced by a view or a foreign\-key constraint of another table,
CASCADE
must be specified\&. (CASCADE
will remove a dependent view entirely, but in the foreign\-key case it will only remove the foreign\-key constraint, not the other table entirely\&.)
.SH "PARAMETERS"
.PP
IF EXISTS
.RS 4
Do not throw an error if the table does not exist\&. A notice is issued in this case\&.
.RE
.PP
\fIname\fR
.RS 4
The name (optionally schema\-qualified) of the table to drop\&.
.RE
.PP
CASCADE
.RS 4
Automatically drop objects that depend on the table (such as views)\&.
.RE
.PP
RESTRICT
.RS 4
Refuse to drop the table if any objects depend on it\&. This is the default\&.
.RE
.SH "EXAMPLES"
.PP
To destroy two tables,
films
and
distributors:
.sp
.if n \{\
.RS 4
.\}
.nf
DROP TABLE films, distributors;
.fi
.if n \{\
.RE
.\}
.SH "COMPATIBILITY"
.PP
This command conforms to the SQL standard, except that the standard only allows one table to be dropped per command, and apart from the
IF EXISTS
option, which is a
PostgreSQL
extension\&.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
ALTER TABLE (\fBALTER_TABLE\fR(5)), CREATE TABLE (\fBCREATE_TABLE\fR(5))