> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.deltastream.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.deltastream.io/reference/sql-syntax/ddl/drop-relation.md).

# DROP RELATION

## Synopsis <a href="#synopsis" id="synopsis"></a>

```sql
DROP RELATION relation_name;
```

## Description

Drops an existing [relation](/overview/core-concepts/databases.md#_relation). Only the owner of the relation can execute this statement.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Notes**

* Deleting the relation does not delete the relation's underlying entity.
* You cannot drop a relation if there exist any references to that relation.
  {% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Important** `DROP RELATION` cannot be undone. Use it with care!
{% endhint %}

### Arguments

#### relation\_name

The name of the relation to drop. If the name is case-sensitive, you must wrap it in double quotes; otherwise, the system uses the lower case name.

## Example

#### Drop a relation using default database and schema

The following shows how to drop the relation named `pageviews`:

```sh
demodb.public/demostore# LIST RELATIONS;
+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-------------------------------+
|  Name      |  Type      |  Owner     |  State     |  Properties                              |  Created At                   |  Updated At                   |
+============+============+============+============+==========================================+===============================+===============================+
| pageviews  | stream     | sysadmin   | created    | { "value.format": "json", "key.type":    | 2024-07-03 15:25:20 +0000 UTC | 2024-07-03 15:25:21 +0000 UTC |
|            |            |            |            | "STRUCT\u003cuserid VARCHAR\u003e",      |                               |                               |
|            |            |            |            | "topic": "pageviews", "store":           |                               |                               |
|            |            |            |            | "demostore", "key.format": "json" }      |                               |                               |
+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-------------------------------+
demodb.public/demostore# DROP RELATION pageviews;
+------------+-------------------------+------------+------------------------------------------+
|  Type      |  Name                   |  Command   |  Summary                                 |
+============+=========================+============+==========================================+
| query      | demodb.public.pageviews | DROP       | relation demodb.public.pageviews was     |
|            |                         |            | dropped                                  |
+------------+-------------------------+------------+------------------------------------------+
demodb.public/demostore# LIST RELATIONS;
+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
|  Name      |  Type      |  Owner     |  State     |  Properties |  Created At |  Updated At |
+============+============+============+============+=============+=============+=============+
+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
```

#### Drop a relation using fully-qualified name

The following shows how to drop the relation named `PageViews` in the database `OtherDB` and schema `S1`:

```sh
demodb.public/demostore# LIST RELATIONS IN SCHEMA "OtherDB"."S1";
+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-------------------------------+
|  Name      |  Type      |  Owner     |  State     |  Properties                              |  Created At                   |  Updated At                   |
+============+============+============+============+==========================================+===============================+===============================+
| PageViews  | stream     | sysadmin   | created    | { "value.format": "json", "key.type":    | 2024-07-03 15:28:22 +0000 UTC | 2024-07-03 15:28:24 +0000 UTC |
|            |            |            |            | "STRUCT\u003cuserid VARCHAR\u003e",      |                               |                               |
|            |            |            |            | "topic": "pageviews", "store":           |                               |                               |
|            |            |            |            | "demostore", "key.format": "json" }      |                               |                               |
+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------------------------------------+-------------------------------+-------------------------------+
demodb.public/demostore# DROP RELATION "OtherDB"."S1"."PageViews";
+------------+----------------------+------------+------------------------------------------+
|  Type      |  Name                |  Command   |  Summary                                 |
+============+======================+============+==========================================+
| query      | OtherDB.S1.PageViews | DROP       | relation OtherDB.S1.PageViews was        |
|            |                      |            | dropped                                  |
+------------+----------------------+------------+------------------------------------------+
demodb.public/demostore# LIST RELATIONS IN SCHEMA "OtherDB"."S1";
+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
|  Name      |  Type      |  Owner     |  State     |  Properties |  Created At |  Updated At |
+============+============+============+============+=============+=============+=============+
+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+-------------+-------------+
```