MSDN > SQL > Data Definition > DROP DATABASE

DROP DATABASE (Transact-SQL)

Removes a database and all its associated objects.

Important: Dropping a database is a destructive operation. All data and objects within the database will be permanently deleted. Ensure you have backed up any critical data before proceeding.

Syntax


DROP DATABASE [ database_name ]
[ ; ]

Parameters

database_name: Specifies the name of the database to be dropped. The database name must comply with the rules for identifiers.

Permissions

To execute DROP DATABASE, a user must have the CONTROL permission on the database, or have the ALTER ANY DATABASE permission.

Examples

A. Dropping a database

The following example removes the SalesData database:


DROP DATABASE SalesData;

Remarks

DROP DATABASE can only be used to drop user-defined databases. You cannot drop system databases like master, model, msdb, or tempdb.
If other users are connected to the database that you are trying to drop, the DROP DATABASE statement will fail. You might need to terminate existing connections before dropping the database.
If the database is involved in replication, you must first remove the database from replication publications and subscriptions.
When a database is dropped, all the files associated with the database are deleted from the file system.

Note: It is recommended to execute DROP DATABASE when no users are actively using the database to avoid potential errors or data loss.