What is the Difference Between Drop and Truncate?

The main difference between the SQL commands DROP and TRUNCATE lies in their purpose and the consequences of their execution:

• DROP:

1. Permanently removes the whole database or table, including indexes, data, and more.
2. Frees the table space from memory.
3. Does not delete indexes and triggers.
4. Cannot be rolled back.
5. Slower than TRUNCATE.

• TRUNCATE:

1. Removes all rows from the table, but the structure of the table and columns remain the same.
2. Does not free the table space from memory.
3. Does not delete indexes and triggers.
4. Can be rolled back in some cases.
5. Faster than DROP.

In summary, the DROP command is used to permanently remove a table or database, along with all its contents, while the TRUNCATE command is used to remove all rows from a table without altering the table's structure. DROP is a more permanent action and should be used with caution, whereas TRUNCATE is more frequently used to reset a table to its empty state.

Comparative Table: Drop vs Truncate

Here is a table comparing the differences between the DROP and TRUNCATE commands in SQL:

In summary, the DROP command is used to remove the entire table, including its definition, indexes, data, and constraints, while the TRUNCATE command is used to delete all rows from the table but keeps the table structure and constraints. The TRUNCATE command is faster than the DROP command and does not free up the table's space in memory.