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db.collection.drop()

Definition

db.collection.drop(<options>)

Removes a collection or view from the database. The method also removes any indexes associated with the dropped collection. The method provides a wrapper around the drop command.

Note

For a sharded cluster, if you use db.collection.drop() and then create a new collection with the same name, you must either:

• Flush the cached routing table on every mongos using flushRouterConfig.
• Use db.collection.remove() to remove the existing documents and reuse the collection. Use this approach to avoid flushing the cache.

db.collection.drop() has the form:

Changed in version 4.0: db.collection.drop() accepts an options document.

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db.collection.drop( { writeConcern: <document> } )

db.collection.drop() takes an optional document with the following field:

Field	Description
writeConcern	Optional. A document expressing the write concern of the db.collection.drop() operation. Omit to use the default write concern. When issued on a sharded cluster, mongos converts the write concern of the drop command and its helper db.collection.drop() to "majority". New in version 4.0.

Returns:

• true when successfully drops a collection.
• false when collection to drop does not exist.

Behavior

• This method obtains a write lock on the affected database and will block other operations until it has completed.
• The db.collection.drop() method and drop command create an invalidate Event for any Change Streams opened on dropped collection.
• Starting in MongoDB 4.0.2, dropping a collection deletes its associated zone/tag ranges.

Example

Drop a Collection Using Default Write Concern

The following operation drops the students collection in the current database.

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db.students.drop()

Drop a Collection Using w: "majority" Write Concern

Changed in version 4.0: db.collection.drop() accepts an options document.

The following operation drops the students collection in the current database. The operation uses the "majority" write concern:

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db.students.drop( { writeConcern: { w: "majority" } } )

←   db.collection.distinct() db.collection.dropIndex()  →

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