I don't want to type all tables' name to drop all of them. Is it possible with one query?

6

14 Answers

Use the INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES view to get the list of tables. Generate Drop scripts in the select statement and drop it using Dynamic SQL:

DECLARE @sql NVARCHAR(max)=''
SELECT @sql += ' Drop table ' + QUOTENAME(TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.'+ QUOTENAME(TABLE_NAME) + '; '
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
WHERE TABLE_TYPE = 'BASE TABLE'
Exec Sp_executesql @sql

Sys.Tables Version

DECLARE @sql NVARCHAR(max)=''
SELECT @sql += ' Drop table ' + QUOTENAME(s.NAME) + '.' + QUOTENAME(t.NAME) + '; '
FROM sys.tables t JOIN sys.schemas s ON t.[schema_id] = s.[schema_id]
WHERE t.type = 'U'
Exec sp_executesql @sql

Note: If you have any foreign Keys defined between tables then first run the below query to disable all foreign keys present in your database.

EXEC sp_msforeachtable "ALTER TABLE ? NOCHECK CONSTRAINT all"

For more information, check here.

12

If you want to use only one SQL query to delete all tables you can use this:

EXEC sp_MSforeachtable @command1 = "DROP TABLE ?"

This is a hidden Stored Procedure in sql server, and will be executed for each table in the database you're connected.

Note: You may need to execute the query a few times to delete all tables due to dependencies.

Note2: To avoid the first note, before running the query, first check if there foreign keys relations to any table. If there are then just disable foreign key constraint by running the query bellow:

EXEC sp_msforeachtable "ALTER TABLE ? NOCHECK CONSTRAINT all"

6

If you don't want to type, you can create the statements with this:

USE Databasename
SELECT 'DROP TABLE [' + name + '];'
FROM sys.tables

Then copy and paste into a new SSMS window to run it.

3

The simplest way is to drop the whole database and create it once again:

drop database db_name
create database db_name

That's all.

6

You could also use the following script to drop everything, including the following:

• non-system stored procedures
• views
• functions
• foreign key constraints
• primary key constraints
• system_versioning
• tables

/* Drop all non-system stored procs */
DECLARE @name VARCHAR(128)
DECLARE @SQL VARCHAR(254)
SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 [name] FROM sysobjects WHERE [type] = 'P' AND category = 0 ORDER BY [name])
WHILE @name is not null
BEGIN SELECT @SQL = 'DROP PROCEDURE [dbo].[' + RTRIM(@name) +']' EXEC (@SQL) PRINT 'Dropped Procedure: ' + @name SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 [name] FROM sysobjects WHERE [type] = 'P' AND category = 0 AND [name] > @name ORDER BY [name])
END
GO
/* Drop all views */
DECLARE @name VARCHAR(128)
DECLARE @SQL VARCHAR(254)
SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 [name] FROM sysobjects WHERE [type] = 'V' AND category = 0 ORDER BY [name])
WHILE @name IS NOT NULL
BEGIN SELECT @SQL = 'DROP VIEW [dbo].[' + RTRIM(@name) +']' EXEC (@SQL) PRINT 'Dropped View: ' + @name SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 [name] FROM sysobjects WHERE [type] = 'V' AND category = 0 AND [name] > @name ORDER BY [name])
END
GO
/* Drop all functions */
DECLARE @name VARCHAR(128)
DECLARE @SQL VARCHAR(254)
SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 [name] FROM sysobjects WHERE [type] IN (N'FN', N'IF', N'TF', N'FS', N'FT') AND category = 0 ORDER BY [name])
WHILE @name IS NOT NULL
BEGIN SELECT @SQL = 'DROP FUNCTION [dbo].[' + RTRIM(@name) +']' EXEC (@SQL) PRINT 'Dropped Function: ' + @name SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 [name] FROM sysobjects WHERE [type] IN (N'FN', N'IF', N'TF', N'FS', N'FT') AND category = 0 AND [name] > @name ORDER BY [name])
END
GO
/* Drop all Foreign Key constraints */
DECLARE @name VARCHAR(128)
DECLARE @constraint VARCHAR(254)
DECLARE @SQL VARCHAR(254)
SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 TABLE_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'FOREIGN KEY' ORDER BY TABLE_NAME)
WHILE @name is not null
BEGIN SELECT @constraint = (SELECT TOP 1 CONSTRAINT_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'FOREIGN KEY' AND TABLE_NAME = @name ORDER BY CONSTRAINT_NAME) WHILE @constraint IS NOT NULL BEGIN SELECT @SQL = 'ALTER TABLE [dbo].[' + RTRIM(@name) +'] DROP CONSTRAINT [' + RTRIM(@constraint) +']' EXEC (@SQL) PRINT 'Dropped FK Constraint: ' + @constraint + ' on ' + @name SELECT @constraint = (SELECT TOP 1 CONSTRAINT_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'FOREIGN KEY' AND CONSTRAINT_NAME <> @constraint AND TABLE_NAME = @name ORDER BY CONSTRAINT_NAME) END
SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 TABLE_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'FOREIGN KEY' ORDER BY TABLE_NAME)
END
GO
/* Drop all Primary Key constraints */
DECLARE @name VARCHAR(128)
DECLARE @constraint VARCHAR(254)
DECLARE @SQL VARCHAR(254)
SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 TABLE_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'PRIMARY KEY' ORDER BY TABLE_NAME)
WHILE @name IS NOT NULL
BEGIN SELECT @constraint = (SELECT TOP 1 CONSTRAINT_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'PRIMARY KEY' AND TABLE_NAME = @name ORDER BY CONSTRAINT_NAME) WHILE @constraint is not null BEGIN SELECT @SQL = 'ALTER TABLE [dbo].[' + RTRIM(@name) +'] DROP CONSTRAINT [' + RTRIM(@constraint)+']' EXEC (@SQL) PRINT 'Dropped PK Constraint: ' + @constraint + ' on ' + @name SELECT @constraint = (SELECT TOP 1 CONSTRAINT_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'PRIMARY KEY' AND CONSTRAINT_NAME <> @constraint AND TABLE_NAME = @name ORDER BY CONSTRAINT_NAME) END
SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 TABLE_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE constraint_catalog=DB_NAME() AND CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'PRIMARY KEY' ORDER BY TABLE_NAME)
END
GO
/* Remove system versioning */
DECLARE @name VARCHAR(128)
DECLARE @SQL VARCHAR(254)
SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 [name] FROM sysobjects WHERE [type] = 'U' AND category = 0 ORDER BY [name])
WHILE @name IS NOT NULL
BEGIN IF OBJECTPROPERTY(OBJECT_ID(' + @name + '), 'TableTemporalType') = 2 SELECT @SQL = 'ALTER TABLE [dbo].[' + RTRIM(@name) +'] SET (SYSTEM_VERSIONING = OFF); ALTER TABLE [dbo].[' + RTRIM(@name) + '] DROP PERIOD FOR SYSTEM_TIME;' EXEC (@SQL) PRINT 'System Versioning Disabled for Table: ' + @name SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 [name] FROM sysobjects WHERE [type] = 'U' AND category = 0 AND [name] > @name ORDER BY [name])
END
GO
/* Drop all tables */
DECLARE @name VARCHAR(128)
DECLARE @SQL VARCHAR(254)
SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 [name] FROM sysobjects WHERE [type] = 'U' AND category = 0 ORDER BY [name])
WHILE @name IS NOT NULL
BEGIN SELECT @SQL = 'DROP TABLE [dbo].[' + RTRIM(@name) +']' EXEC (@SQL) PRINT 'Dropped Table: ' + @name SELECT @name = (SELECT TOP 1 [name] FROM sysobjects WHERE [type] = 'U' AND category = 0 AND [name] > @name ORDER BY [name])
END
GO

3

As a follow-up to Dave.Gugg's answer, this would be the code someone would need to get all the DROP TABLE lines in MySQL:

SELECT CONCAT('DROP TABLE ', TABLE_NAME, ';')
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.tables
WHERE TABLE_SCHEMA = 'your_database_name'

1

I'd just make a small change to @NoDisplayName's answer and use QUOTENAME() on the TABLE_NAME column and also include the TABLE_SCHEMA column encase the tables aren't in the dbo schema.

DECLARE @sql nvarchar(max) = '';
SELECT @sql += 'DROP TABLE ' + QUOTENAME([TABLE_SCHEMA]) + '.' + QUOTENAME([TABLE_NAME]) + ';'
FROM [INFORMATION_SCHEMA].[TABLES]
WHERE [TABLE_TYPE] = 'BASE TABLE';
EXEC SP_EXECUTESQL @sql;

Or using sys schema views (as per @swasheck's comment):

DECLARE @sql nvarchar(max) = '';
SELECT @sql += 'DROP TABLE ' + QUOTENAME([S].[name]) + '.' + QUOTENAME([T].[name]) + ';'
FROM [sys].[tables] AS [T]
INNER JOIN [sys].[schemas] AS [S] ON ([T].[schema_id] = [S].[schema_id])
WHERE [T].[type] = 'U' AND [T].[is_ms_shipped] = 0;
EXEC SP_EXECUTESQL @sql;

6

If anybody else had a problem with best answer's solution (including disabling foreign keys), here is another solution from me:

-- CLEAN DB
USE [DB_NAME] EXEC sp_MSForEachTable 'ALTER TABLE ? NOCHECK CONSTRAINT ALL' EXEC sp_MSForEachTable 'DELETE FROM ?' DECLARE @Sql NVARCHAR(500) DECLARE @Cursor CURSOR SET @Cursor = CURSOR FAST_FORWARD FOR SELECT DISTINCT sql = 'ALTER TABLE [' + tc2.TABLE_NAME + '] DROP [' + rc1.CONSTRAINT_NAME + ']' FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.REFERENTIAL_CONSTRAINTS rc1 LEFT JOIN INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS tc2 ON tc2.CONSTRAINT_NAME =rc1.CONSTRAINT_NAME OPEN @Cursor FETCH NEXT FROM @Cursor INTO @Sql WHILE (@@FETCH_STATUS = 0) BEGIN Exec SP_EXECUTESQL @Sql FETCH NEXT FROM @Cursor INTO @Sql END CLOSE @Cursor DEALLOCATE @Cursor GO EXEC sp_MSForEachTable 'DROP TABLE ?' GO EXEC sp_MSForEachTable 'ALTER TABLE ? WITH CHECK CHECK CONSTRAINT ALL'

0

Use the following script to drop all constraints:

DECLARE @sql NVARCHAR(max)=''
SELECT @sql += ' ALTER TABLE ' + QUOTENAME(TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.'+ QUOTENAME(TABLE_NAME) + ' NOCHECK CONSTRAINT all; '
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
WHERE TABLE_TYPE = 'BASE TABLE'
Exec Sp_executesql @sql

Then run the following to drop all tables:

select @sql='';
SELECT @sql += ' Drop table ' + QUOTENAME(TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.'+ QUOTENAME(TABLE_NAME) + '; '
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
WHERE TABLE_TYPE = 'BASE TABLE'
Exec Sp_executesql @sql

This worked for me in Azure SQL Database where 'sp_msforeachtable' was not available!

Not quite 1 query, still quite short and sweet:

-- Disable all referential integrity constraints
EXEC sp_msforeachtable 'ALTER TABLE ? NOCHECK CONSTRAINT ALL'
GO
-- Drop all PKs and FKs
declare @sql nvarchar(max)
SELECT @sql = STUFF((SELECT '; ' + 'ALTER TABLE ' + Table_Name +' drop constraint ' + Constraint_Name from Information_Schema.CONSTRAINT_TABLE_USAGE ORDER BY Constraint_Name FOR XML PATH('')),1,1,'')
EXECUTE (@sql)
GO
-- Drop all tables
EXEC sp_msforeachtable 'DROP TABLE ?'
GO

Try this

DROP DATABASE database_name;
CREATE DATABASE database_name;

This will delete the database and create a new database with the same name

I Know this question is very old but every Time i need this code .. by the way if you have tables and views and Functions and PROCEDURES you can delete it all by this Script .. so why i post this Script ?? because if u delete all tables you will need to delete all views and if you have Functions and PROCEDURES you need to delete it too
i Hope it will help someone

DECLARE @sql NVARCHAR(max)='' SELECT @sql += ' Drop table ' + QUOTENAME(TABLE_SCHEMA) + '.'+ QUOTENAME(TABLE_NAME)
+ '; '
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
WHERE TABLE_TYPE = 'BASE TABLE'
Exec Sp_executesql @sql DECLARE @sql VARCHAR(MAX) = '' , @crlf VARCHAR(2) = CHAR(13) + CHAR(10) ; SELECT @sql = @sql + 'DROP VIEW ' + QUOTENAME(SCHEMA_NAME(schema_id)) + '.' + QUOTENAME(v.name) +';' + @crlf FROM sys.views v PRINT @sql; EXEC(@sql); declare @procName varchar(500) declare cur cursor for select [name] from sys.objects where type = 'p' open cur fetch next from cur into @procName while @@fetch_status = 0 begin exec('drop procedure [' + @procName + ']')
fetch next from cur into @procName end close cur deallocate cur Declare @sql NVARCHAR(MAX) = N''; SELECT @sql = @sql + N' DROP FUNCTION ' + QUOTENAME(SCHEMA_NAME(schema_id)) + N'.' + QUOTENAME(name) FROM sys.objects WHERE type_desc LIKE '%FUNCTION%'; Exec sp_executesql @sql GO

I‘d do it with a loop for all tables if you’re using like oracle or sqlite:

FOR i IN (SELECT ut.table_name FROM USER_TABLES ut) LOOP EXECUTE IMMEDIATE 'drop table '|| i.table_name ||' CASCADE CONSTRAINTS '; END LOOP;

For me I just do

DECLARE @cnt INT = 0;
WHILE @cnt < 10 --Change this if all tables are not dropped with one run
BEGIN
SET @cnt = @cnt + 1;
EXEC sp_MSforeachtable @command1 = "DROP TABLE ?"
END