---
title: "3 Must-know Approaches to Delete a Table"
description: "Here are the top 3 approaches you can try in MySQL and other databases to delete table."
url: https://srinimf.com/2023/01/02/3-approaches-to-delete-table-in-sql/
date: 2023-01-02
modified: 2026-10-07
author: "Srini"
image: https://i0.wp.com/srinimf.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/pexels-photo-6402809.jpeg?fit=1880%2C1253&ssl=1
categories: ["mysql", "SQL"]
tags: ["SQL Delete Table"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# 3 Must-know Approaches to Delete a Table

Deleting a Table in SQL can achieve in three ways. These are VIZ: DELETE, TRUNCATE, and DROP. Each has a specific reason and purpose. This post explains with sample SQL queries.

Below SQL queries perfectly work in MySQL. You can run these in other RDBMS databases with minor changes.

## [SQL DELETE](https://srinimf.com/2010/05/16/db2-delete-in-sql/), TRUNCATE, and DROP statements

The DELETE, TRUNCATE, and DROP what these do

- The DELETE keyword deletes the data in a table but leaves the table intact.
- The TRUNCATE keyword is a faster way to delete the data in a table. The TRUNCATE keyword also preserves the table structure.
- The DROP keyword drops the data and the table itself from a database.

### SQL DELETE Table

The DELETE statement deletes all the rows from the ‘customers’ table. But it keeps the table.

```
DELETE from customers;
```

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### SQL TRUNCATE table

The TRUNCATE deletes all the rows and keeps the table. But it’s **faster than DELETE**.

```
TRUNCATE customers;
```

### SQL DROP table

The DROP deletes **both** tables and rows.

```
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS customers;
```

### DELETE a single row

```
SELECT *
FROM table_name
WHERE lname = 'SRINI'
LIMIT 1;
DELETE
FROM table_name
WHERE lname = 'SRINI'
LIMIT 1;
```

> SpotlightDelete query must run with care. Since it would delete all the rows.

### SQL DELETE with CASCADE:

This SQL deletes rows from both the main table and its dependent table.

```
DELETE
FROM customers
Where FNAME = 'Rani'
CASCADE;
```

Related

- [How to Drop [or] Alter Table: Sample SQL Queries](https://srinimf.com/2022/07/03/2-effective-drop-a-table-or-modify-sql-queries/)DateJuly 3, 2022
- [DB2 – DDL (Data Definition Language)](https://srinimf.com/2013/01/19/db2_ddl/)DateJanuary 19, 2013
- [SQL: Truncate Vs Delete in DB2](https://srinimf.com/2014/10/19/truncate-and-delete-in-db2/)DateOctober 19, 2014

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