dropdb

dropdb — remove aPostgreSQLdatabase

Synopsis

dropdb[connection-option...] [option...]dbname

Description

dropdbdestroys an existingPostgreSQLdatabase. The user who executes this command must be a database superuser or the owner of the database.

dropdbis a wrapper around theSQLcommandDROP DATABASE. There is no effective difference between dropping databases via this utility and via other methods for accessing the server.

Options

dropdbaccepts the following command-line arguments:

dbname

Specifies the name of the database to be removed.

-e

--echo

Echo the commands thatdropdbgenerates and sends to the server.

-i

--interactive

Issues a verification prompt before doing anything destructive.

-V

--version

Print thedropdbversion and exit.

--if-exists

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

-?

--help

Show help aboutdropdbcommand line arguments, and exit.

dropdbalso accepts the following command-line arguments for connection parameters:

-h

host

--host=

host

Specifies the host name of the machine on which the server is running. If the value begins with a slash, it is used as the directory for the Unix domain socket.

-p

port

--port=

port

Specifies the TCP port or local Unix domain socket file extension on which the server is listening for connections.

-U

username

--username=

username

User name to connect as.

-w

--no-password

Never issue a password prompt. If the server requires password authentication and a password is not available by other means such as a.pgpassfile, the connection attempt will fail. This option can be useful in batch jobs and scripts where no user is present to enter a password.

-W

--password

Forcedropdbto prompt for a password before connecting to a database.

This option is never essential, sincedropdbwill automatically prompt for a password if the server demands password authentication. However,dropdbwill waste a connection attempt finding out that the server wants a password. In some cases it is worth typing-Wto avoid the extra connection attempt.

--maintenance-db=

dbname

Specifies the name of the database to connect to in order to drop the target database. If not specified, thepostgresdatabase will be used; if that does not exist (or is the database being dropped),template1will be used.

Environment

PGHOST

PGPORT

PGUSER

Default connection parameters

This utility, like most otherPostgreSQLutilities, also uses the environment variables supported bylibpq(seeSection 33.14).

Diagnostics

In case of difficulty, seeDROP DATABASEandpsqlfor discussions of potential problems and error messages. The database server must be running at the targeted host. Also, any default connection settings and environment variables used by thelibpqfront-end library will apply.

Examples

To destroy the databasedemoon the default database server:

$ 
dropdb demo

To destroy the databasedemousing the server on hosteden, port 5000, with verification and a peek at the underlying command:

$ 
dropdb -p 5000 -h eden -i -e demo
Database "demo" will be permanently deleted.
Are you sure? (y/n) 
y
DROP DATABASE demo;