PostgreSQL 7.3.4 Documentation
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# DROP DATABASE

## Name

DROP DATABASE -- remove a database

## Synopsis

    DROP DATABASE name

### Inputs

name

  The name of an existing database to remove.

### Outputs

`DROP DATABASE`

  This message is returned if the command is successful.

`DROP DATABASE: cannot be executed on the currently open database`

  You cannot be connected to the database you are about to remove. Instead, connect to template1 or any other database and run this command again.

`DROP DATABASE: may not be called in a transaction block`

  You must finish the transaction in progress before you can call this command.

## Description

`DROP DATABASE` removes the catalog entries for an existing database and deletes the directory containing the data. It can only be executed by the database owner (usually the user that created it).

`DROP DATABASE` cannot be undone. Use it with care!

### Notes

This command cannot be executed while connected to the target database. Thus, it might be more convenient to use the shell script dropdb, which is a wrapper around this command, instead.

Refer to CREATE DATABASE for information on how to create a database.

## Compatibility

### SQL92

`DROP DATABASE` statement is a PostgreSQL language extension; there is no such command in SQL92.

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