---
title: influxdb3 delete table
description: The influxdb3 delete table command deletes a table from a database.
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/enterprise/reference/cli/influxdb3/delete/table/
estimated_tokens: 1145
product: InfluxDB 3 Enterprise
version: enterprise
publisher: InfluxData
canonical: https://docs.influxdata.com/influxdb3/enterprise/reference/cli/influxdb3/delete/table/
date: '2025-01-13T07:21:11-07:00'
lastmod: '2025-01-13T07:21:11-07:00'
---

The `influxdb3 delete table` command deletes a table from a database.

## Usage

```bash
# Syntax
influxdb3 delete table [OPTIONS] --database <DATABASE_NAME> <TABLE_NAME>
```

## Arguments

* **TABLE\_NAME**: The name of the table to delete.

## Options

|Option|                 |                                                            Description                                                            |
|------|-----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `-H` |    `--host`     |                     Host URL of the running InfluxDB 3 Enterprise server (default is `http://127.0.0.1:8181`)                     |
| `-d` |  `--database`   |                                          *(Required)* Name of the database to operate on                                          |
|      |  `--data-only`  |Delete only data while preserving the table schema and all associated resources (caches, etc.). Default behavior deletes everything|
|      | `--hard-delete` |          When to hard delete data (never/now/default/timestamp). Default behavior is a soft delete that allows recovery           |
|      |    `--token`    |                                                 *(Required)* Authentication token                                                 |
|      |   `--tls-ca`    |                       Path to a custom TLS certificate authority (for self-signed or internal certificates)                       |
|      |`--tls-no-verify`|           Disable TLS certificate verification (**Not recommended in production**, useful for self-signed certificates)           |
| `-h` |    `--help`     |                                                      Print help information                                                       |
|      |  `--help-all`   |                                                  Print detailed help information                                                  |

### Option environment variables

You can use the following environment variables to set command options:

|  Environment Variable   |     Option      |
|-------------------------|-----------------|
|  `INFLUXDB3_HOST_URL`   |    `--host`     |
|`INFLUXDB3_DATABASE_NAME`|  `--database`   |
| `INFLUXDB3_AUTH_TOKEN`  |    `--token`    |
|`INFLUXDB3_TLS_NO_VERIFY`|`--tls-no-verify`|

## Examples

In the examples below, replace the following:

* `DATABASE_NAME`:
  Database name
* `AUTH_TOKEN`:
  Authentication token
* `TABLE_NAME`:
  Name of the table to delete

### Delete a table

```bash
influxdb3 delete table \
  --database DATABASE_NAME \
  --token AUTH_TOKEN \
  TABLE_NAME
```

### Delete table data only (preserve schema and resources)

Delete all data from a table while preserving:

* Table schema (column definitions)
* Last value caches (LVC) and distinct value caches (DVC) associated with the table

This is useful when you want to clear old data and re-write new data to the same schema without recreating the table structure.

```bash
influxdb3 delete table \
  --database DATABASE_NAME \
  --token AUTH_TOKEN \
  --data-only \
  TABLE_NAME
```

### Hard delete a table immediately

Permanently delete a table and all its data immediately without the ability to recover.

```bash
influxdb3 delete table \
  --database DATABASE_NAME \
  --token AUTH_TOKEN \
  --hard-delete now \
  TABLE_NAME
```
| Option |  | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Option |  | Description |
| -H | --host | Host URL of the running InfluxDB 3 Enterprise server (default is  http://127.0.0.1:8181 ) |
| -d | --database | ( Required )  Name of the database to operate on |
|  | --data-only | Delete only data while preserving the table schema and all associated resources (caches, etc.). Default behavior deletes everything |
|  | --hard-delete | When to hard delete data (never/now/default/timestamp). Default behavior is a soft delete that allows recovery |
|  | --token | ( Required )  Authentication token |
|  | --tls-ca | Path to a custom TLS certificate authority (for self-signed or internal certificates) |
|  | --tls-no-verify | Disable TLS certificate verification ( Not recommended in production , useful for self-signed certificates) |
| -h | --help | Print help information |
|  | --help-all | Print detailed help information |

| Environment Variable | Option |
| --- | --- |
| Environment Variable | Option |
| INFLUXDB3_HOST_URL | --host |
| INFLUXDB3_DATABASE_NAME | --database |
| INFLUXDB3_AUTH_TOKEN | --token |
| INFLUXDB3_TLS_NO_VERIFY | --tls-no-verify |