"DELETE," "DROP," and "TRUNCATE" are three distinct statements used for different purposes:

DELETE Statement:

  • The DELETE statement is used to remove one or more specific rows from a table based on a specified condition or criteria. It's a Data Manipulation Language (DML) command.
  • DELETE is typically used to delete specific data while keeping the table structure intact.
  • It is slower than TRUNCATE for large tables, as it logs individual row deletions.

DROP Statement:

  • The DROP statement is used to delete an entire database object, such as a table, view, or index. It's a Data Definition Language (DDL) command.
  • DROP removes the entire object, including all its data, and the structure is deleted from the database.
  • It should be used with caution, as it's irreversible and can result in data loss.

TRUNCATE Statement:

  • The TRUNCATE statement is used to quickly delete all rows from a table, effectively emptying the table, but keeping its structure intact.
  • TRUNCATE is typically faster than DELETE, especially for large tables, as it doesn't log individual row deletions.
  • It's also a DDL command and cannot be used if the table is referenced by a foreign key.
Explanation with Illustrative examples covered in the Video.