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PostgreSQL documentation
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<refentry id="SQL-DROPUSER">
 <refmeta>
  <refentrytitle id="SQL-DROPUSER-TITLE">DROP USER</refentrytitle>
  <refmiscinfo>SQL - Language Statements</refmiscinfo>
 </refmeta>

 <refnamediv>
  <refname>DROP USER</refname>
  <refpurpose>remove a database user account</refpurpose>
 </refnamediv>

 <indexterm zone="sql-dropuser">
  <primary>DROP USER</primary>
 </indexterm>

 <refsynopsisdiv>
<synopsis>
DROP USER <replaceable class="PARAMETER">name</replaceable>
</synopsis>
 </refsynopsisdiv>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Description</title>

  <para>
   <command>DROP USER</command> removes the specified user.
   It does not remove tables, views, or other objects owned by the user. If the
   user owns any database, an error is raised.
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Parameters</title>

  <variablelist>
   <varlistentry>
    <term><replaceable class="PARAMETER">name</replaceable></term>
    <listitem>
     <para>
      The name of the user to remove.
     </para>
    </listitem>
   </varlistentry>
  </variablelist>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Diagnostics</title>

   <variablelist>
    <varlistentry>
     <term><computeroutput>DROP USER</computeroutput></term>
     <listitem>
      <para>
       Message returned if the user was successfully deleted.
      </para>
     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>

    <varlistentry>
     <term><computeroutput>ERROR:  DROP USER: user "<replaceable class="parameter">name</replaceable>" does not exist</computeroutput></term>
     <listitem>
      <para>
       Message returned if the specified user does not exist.
      </para>
     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>

    <varlistentry>
     <term><computeroutput>DROP USER: user "<replaceable class="parameter">name</replaceable>" owns database "<replaceable class="parameter">name</replaceable>", cannot be removed</computeroutput></term>
     <listitem>
      <para>
       You must drop the database first or change its ownership.
      </para>
     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
   </variablelist>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Notes</title>

  <para>
   <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> includes a program <xref
   linkend="APP-DROPUSER" endterm="APP-DROPUSER-title"> that has the
   same functionality as this command (in fact, it calls this command)
   but can be run from the command shell.
  </para>
 </refsect1>

 <refsect1>
  <title>Examples</title>

  <para>
   To drop a user account:
<programlisting>
DROP USER jonathan;
</programlisting>
  </para>
 </refsect1>
 
 <refsect1>
  <title>Compatibility</title>
  
  <para>
   The <command>DROP USER</command> statement is a
   <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> extension.  The SQL standard
   leaves the definition of users to the implementation.
  </para>
 </refsect1>

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

  <simplelist type="inline">
   <member><xref linkend="sql-alteruser" endterm="sql-alteruser-title"></member>
   <member><xref linkend="sql-createuser" endterm="sql-createuser-title"></member>
  </simplelist>
 </refsect1>

</refentry>

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