# DROP_DATABASE(7) - man - phpMan

DROP [DATABASE(7)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/DATABASE/7/markdown)                   PostgreSQL 14.23 Documentation                   DROP [DATABASE(7)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/DATABASE/7/markdown)



## NAME
       DROP_DATABASE - remove a database

## SYNOPSIS
       DROP DATABASE [ IF EXISTS ] _name_ [ [ WITH ] ( _option_ [, ...] ) ]

       where _option_ can be:

           FORCE

## DESCRIPTION
       **DROP** **DATABASE** drops a database. It removes the catalog entries for the database and deletes
       the directory containing the data. It can only be executed by the database owner. It cannot
       be executed while you are connected to the target database. (Connect to postgres or any other
       database to issue this command.) Also, if anyone else is connected to the target database,
       this command will fail unless you use the FORCE option described below.

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

## PARAMETERS
       IF EXISTS
           Do not throw an error if the database does not exist. A notice is issued in this case.

       _name_
           The name of the database to remove.

       FORCE
           Attempt to terminate all existing connections to the target database. It doesn't
           terminate if prepared transactions, active logical replication slots or subscriptions are
           present in the target database.

           This terminates background worker connections and connections that the current user has
           permission to terminate with **pg**___**terminate**___**backend**, described in Section 9.27.2. If
           connections would remain, this command will fail.

## NOTES
       **DROP** **DATABASE** cannot be executed inside a transaction block.

       This command cannot be executed while connected to the target database. Thus, it might be
       more convenient to use the program [**dropdb**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/dropdb/1/markdown) instead, which is a wrapper around this command.

## COMPATIBILITY
       There is no **DROP** **DATABASE** statement in the SQL standard.

## SEE ALSO
       CREATE DATABASE (**CREATE**___**[DATABASE**(7)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/DATABASE/7/markdown))



PostgreSQL 14.23                                2026                                DROP [DATABASE(7)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/DATABASE/7/markdown)