The SQL DROP statement is a command that deletes existing database components or the entire databases with all their data permanently. There are other SQL commands with a similar effect (TRUNCATE or DELETE), but the specificity of the DROP command is that it deletes everything at once. For instance, DROP TABLE removes the table data, indexes, triggers, permissions, constraints – the entire schema of the table.
The DROP statement requires one to be extremely careful when using it. Once performed, it can’t be rolled back. The information is lost for good. The only chance to return the data will be to restore a backup. Still, in many cases, we have to apply DROP statements. This article will focus on such cases, the specific DROP variants, and how to use them safely.
