<!--
$PostgreSQL: pgsql/doc/src/sgml/ref/drop_database.sgml,v 1.22 2006/05/04 16:07:29 tgl Exp $
PostgreSQL documentation
-->

<refentry id="SQL-DROPDATABASE">
 <refmeta>
  <refentrytitle id="SQL-DROPDATABASE-TITLE">DROP DATABASE</refentrytitle>
  <refmiscinfo>SQL - Language Statements</refmiscinfo>
 </refmeta>

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

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

 <refsynopsisdiv>
<synopsis>
DROP DATABASE [ IF EXISTS ] <replaceable class="PARAMETER">name</replaceable>
</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.
   Also, it cannot be executed while you or anyone else are connected
   to the target database.  (Connect to <literal>postgres</literal> or any
   other database to issue this command.) 
  </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>
  </variablelist>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Notes</title>

   <para>
    <command>DROP DATABASE</> 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" endterm="app-dropdb-title"> 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" endterm="sql-createdatabase-title"></member>
  </simplelist>
 </refsect1>
</refentry>

<!-- Keep this comment at the end of the file
Local variables:
mode: sgml
sgml-omittag:nil
sgml-shorttag:t
sgml-minimize-attributes:nil
sgml-always-quote-attributes:t
sgml-indent-step:1
sgml-indent-data:t
sgml-parent-document:nil
sgml-default-dtd-file:"../reference.ced"
sgml-exposed-tags:nil
sgml-local-catalogs:"/usr/lib/sgml/catalog"
sgml-local-ecat-files:nil
End:
-->
