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Data & Analytics · Foundational

DELETE Statement

The DML statement that removes rows that match a condition from a table, logging each row.

Definition

DELETE is fully logged, fires triggers, respects foreign keys and can be rolled back. It removes data but keeps the table structure. For removing all rows quickly, TRUNCATE is usually preferred.

Example

DELETE FROM Sessions WHERE LastSeen < '2026-01-01';

Exam tip

DELETE = DML, row-by-row, WHERE allowed, triggers fire. TRUNCATE = DDL, deallocates pages, no WHERE. DROP removes the table itself.

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