DROP TABLE (SQL Analytics)

Deletes the table and removes the directory associated with the table from the file system if the table is not EXTERNAL table. An exception is thrown if the table does not exist.

In case of an external table, only the associated metadata information is removed from the metastore database.

Syntax 

DROP TABLE [ IF EXISTS ] table_identifier

Parameter

  • IF EXISTS

    If specified, no exception is thrown when the table does not exist.

  • table_identifier

    • [database_name.] table_name: A table name, optionally qualified with a database name.
    • delta.`<path-to-table>` : The location of an existing Delta table.

Examples 

-- Assumes a table named `employeetable` exists.
DROP TABLE employeetable;

-- Assumes a table named `employeetable` exists in the `userdb` database
DROP TABLE userdb.employeetable;

-- Assumes a table named `employeetable` does not exist.
-- Throws exception
DROP TABLE employeetable;
Error: org.apache.spark.sql.AnalysisException: Table or view not found: employeetable;
(state=,code=0)

-- Assumes a table named `employeetable` does not exist,Try with IF EXISTS
-- this time it will not throw exception
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS employeetable;