Oracle DROP TABLE operator.

Preamble

Oracle/PLSQL operator DROP TABLE allows you to clear or delete a table from an Oracle database.

Syntax of DROP TABLE operator in Oracle

DROP TABLE [schema_name].table_name
[ CASCADE ]
[ PURGE ]

Operator parameters and arguments

• schema_name – name of the scheme, to which the table belongs.
• table_name – the name of the table that will be removed from the Oracle database.
• CASCADE CONSTRAINTS – Optional. If this parameter is set, all reference integrity restrictions will also be removed.
• PURGE – Optional. If specified, the table and its dependent objects will be removed from the trash and you cannot restore the table. If PURGE is not specified, the table and its dependent objects are placed in the trash and can be restored later if necessary.

Note:
If there are reference integrity limitations on table_name and you have not specified the CASCADE CONSTRAINTS parameter, the DROP TABLE operator returns an error and Oracle will not remove the table.

Consider an example that shows how to delete a table in Oracle using the DROP TABLE operator.
For example:

DROP TABLE customers;

This Oracle/PLSQL DROP TABLE example will delete the customers table.

Parameter PURGE

Let’s see how the PURGE parameter of the DROP TABLE operator can be used in Oracle.

In the Oracle/PLSQL DROP TABLE operator, you can specify the PURGE parameter. PURGE will clear the table and its dependent objects so that they do not appear in the trash.

The risk of specifying PURGE is that you will not be able to restore the table. However, the benefit of using PURGE is that you have a guarantee that your confidential data will not be left in your shopping cart.

DROP TABLE customers PURGE;

Oracle/PLSQL TABLE DROP will delete the customers table and the output of PURGE will be such that the space associated with the customers table is cleared. In other words, the customers table will not fit in the trash, so it cannot be restored later if necessary.

Tutorial: How to Drop Table in Oracle SQL database

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