<!--
doc/src/sgml/ref/drop_database.sgml
PostgreSQL documentation
-->

<refentry id="sql-dropdatabase">
 <indexterm zone="sql-dropdatabase">
  <primary>DROP DATABASE</primary>
 </indexterm>

 <refmeta>
  <refentrytitle>DROP DATABASE</refentrytitle>
  <manvolnum>7</manvolnum>
  <refmiscinfo>SQL - Language Statements</refmiscinfo>
 </refmeta>

 <refnamediv>
  <refname>DROP DATABASE</refname>
  <refpurpose>remove a database</refpurpose>
 </refnamediv>

 <refsynopsisdiv>
<synopsis>
DROP DATABASE [ IF EXISTS ] <replaceable class="parameter">name</replaceable> [ [ WITH ] ( <replaceable class="parameter">option</replaceable> [, ...] ) ]

<phrase>where <replaceable class="parameter">option</replaceable> can be:</phrase>

    FORCE
</synopsis>
 </refsynopsisdiv>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Description</title>

  <para>
   <command>DROP DATABASE</command> drops a database. It removes the
   catalog entries for the database and deletes the directory
   containing the data.  It can only be executed by the database owner.
   It cannot be executed while you are connected to the target database.
   (Connect to <literal>postgres</literal> or any other database to issue this
   command.)
   Also, if anyone else is connected to the target database, this command will
   fail unless you use the <literal>FORCE</literal> option described below.
  </para>

  <para>
   <command>DROP DATABASE</command> cannot be undone.  Use it with care!
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Parameters</title>

  <variablelist>
   <varlistentry>
    <term><literal>IF EXISTS</literal></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      Do not throw an error if the database does not exist. A notice is issued
      in this case.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>

   <varlistentry>
    <term><replaceable class="parameter">name</replaceable></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      The name of the database to remove.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>

   <varlistentry>
    <term><literal>FORCE</literal></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      Attempt to terminate all existing connections to the target database.
      It doesn't terminate if prepared transactions, active logical replication
      slots or subscriptions are present in the target database.
     </para>
     <!-- not mentioning exception for autovacuum workers, since those are an
     implementation detail and the exception is not specific to FORCE -->
     <para>
      This terminates background worker connections and connections that the
      current user has permission to terminate
      with <function>pg_terminate_backend</function>, described in
      <xref linkend="functions-admin-signal"/>.  If connections would remain,
      this command will fail.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>

  </variablelist>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Notes</title>

   <para>
    <command>DROP DATABASE</command> cannot be executed inside a transaction
    block.
   </para>

  <para>
   This command cannot be executed while connected to the target
   database. Thus, it might be more convenient to use the program
   <xref linkend="app-dropdb"/> instead,
   which is a wrapper around this command.
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Compatibility</title>

  <para>
   There is no <command>DROP DATABASE</command> statement in the SQL standard.
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>See Also</title>

  <simplelist type="inline">
   <member><xref linkend="sql-createdatabase"/></member>
  </simplelist>
 </refsect1>
</refentry>