# DROP DATABASE

The `DROP DATABASE` statement removes a database and all its objects from a CockroachDB cluster.

Note:

This statement performs a schema change. For more information about how online schema changes work in CockroachDB, see Online Schema Changes.

## Required privileges

The user must have the `DROP` privilege on the database and on all tables in the database.

## Synopsis

## Parameters

Parameter | Description
--- | ---
`IF EXISTS` | Drop the database if it exists; if it does not exist, do not return an error.
`name` | The name of the database you want to drop. You cannot drop a database if it is set as the current database or if `sql_safe_updates = true`.
`CASCADE` | (Default) Drop all tables and views in the database as well as all objects (such as constraints and views) that depend on those tables. `CASCADE` does not list objects it drops, so should be used cautiously.
`RESTRICT` | Do not drop the database if it contains any tables or views.

## Examples

### Drop a database and its objects (`CASCADE`)

For non-interactive sessions (e.g., client applications), `DROP DATABASE` applies the `CASCADE` option by default, which drops all tables and views in the database as well as all objects (such as constraints and views) that depend on those tables.

    > SHOW TABLES FROM db2;

    +------------+
    | table_name |
    +------------+
    | t1         |
    | v1         |
    +------------+
    (2 rows)

    > DROP DATABASE db2;

    > SHOW TABLES FROM db2;

    pq: database "db2" does not exist

For interactive sessions from the built-in SQL client, either the `CASCADE` option must be set explicitly or the `--unsafe-updates` flag must be set when starting the shell.

### Prevent dropping a non-empty database (`RESTRICT`)

When a database is not empty, the `RESTRICT` option prevents the database from being dropped:

    > SHOW TABLES FROM db2;

    +------------+
    | table_name |
    +------------+
    | t1         |
    | v1         |
    +------------+
    (2 rows)

    > DROP DATABASE db2 RESTRICT;

    pq: database "db2" is not empty and CASCADE was not specified

## See also

- `CREATE DATABASE`
- `SHOW DATABASES`
- `RENAME DATABASE`
- `SET DATABASE`
- Other SQL Statements
- Online Schema Changes