SQL DROP DATABASE Keyword

 The DROP DATABASE keyword in SQL is used to delete an existing database, including all of its tables, data, and other objects. Once a database is dropped, it cannot be recovered unless you have a backup.

Syntax:

DROP DATABASE database_name;

Example:

To drop a database named my_database, you would use the following SQL statement:

DROP DATABASE my_database;

Notes:

• Permissions: You need appropriate privileges to execute the DROP DATABASE command, typically requiring admin or owner-level access.
• Caution: This command removes the entire database and all of its contents permanently. Always ensure you have backups before executing this command.
• Database Existence: In many systems, trying to drop a non-existing database will result in an error. Some database systems support the IF EXISTS clause to avoid an error if the database doesn't exist:

  DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS my_database;
  

Example with IF EXISTS:

DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS my_database;

This ensures that no error occurs if my_database does not exist.

Database Systems Support:

• MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server: All support DROP DATABASE with minor syntax differences.
• SQLite: Does not support dropping a database directly because it is file-based.