ContextQMD
Back to Spark

DROP TABLE

docs/sql-ref-syntax-ddl-drop-table.md

4.1.11.7 KB
Original Source

Description

DROP TABLE deletes the table and removes the directory associated with the table from the file system if the table is not EXTERNAL table. If the table is not present it throws an exception.

In case of an external table, only the associated metadata information is removed from the metastore database.

If the table is cached, the command uncaches the table and all its dependents.

Syntax

sql
DROP TABLE [ IF EXISTS ] table_identifier [ PURGE ]

Parameter

  • IF EXISTS

    If specified, no exception is thrown when the table does not exist.

  • table_identifier

    Specifies the table name to be dropped. The table name may be optionally qualified with a database name.

    Syntax: [ database_name. ] table_name

  • PURGE

    If specified, completely purge the table skipping trash while dropping table(Note: PURGE available in Hive Metastore 0.14.0 and later).

Examples

sql
-- Assumes a table named `employeetable` exists.
DROP TABLE employeetable;

-- Assumes a table named `employeetable` exists in the `userdb` database
DROP TABLE userdb.employeetable;

-- Assumes a table named `employeetable` does not exist.
-- Throws exception
DROP TABLE employeetable;
Error: org.apache.spark.sql.AnalysisException: Table or view not found: employeetable;
(state=,code=0)

-- Assumes a table named `employeetable` does not exist,Try with IF EXISTS
-- this time it will not throw exception
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS employeetable;

-- Completely purge the table skipping trash.
DROP TABLE employeetable PURGE;