SQL DELETE Statement - Explained with Examples

Demystify SQL DELETE statement! Explore practical examples to master data removal and optimize database management with precision and efficiency.

The SQL DELETE Statement

The DELETE statement is used to delete existing records in a table.

DELETE Syntax

DELETE FROM table_name WHERE condition; 

Note: Be careful when deleting records in a table! Notice the WHERE clause in the DELETE statement. The WHERE clause specifies which record(s) should be deleted. If you omit the WHERE clause, all records in the table will be deleted!

Demo Database

Below is a selection from the Customers table used in the examples:

SQL DELETE Example

The following SQL statement deletes the customer "Alfreds Futterkiste" from the "Customers" table:

Example

DELETE FROM Customers WHERE CustomerName='Alfreds Futterkiste'; 

The "Customers" table will now look like this:

Delete All Records

It is possible to delete all rows in a table without deleting the table. This means that the table structure, attributes, and indexes will be intact:

DELETE FROM table_name; 

The following SQL statement deletes all rows in the "Customers" table, without deleting the table:

Example

DELETE FROM Customers; 

Delete a Table

To delete the table completely, use the DROP TABLE statement:

Example

Remove the Customers table:

DROP TABLE Customers;

#sql