db.collection.drop()

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Definition

Compatibility
Syntax
Behavior
Example

MongoDB with drivers

This page documents a mongosh method. To see the equivalent method in a MongoDB driver, see the corresponding page for your programming language:

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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.

Returns:	`true`

Note

If the specified collection doesn't exist, db.collection.drop() still returns true.

Compatibility

You can use db.collection.drop() for deployments hosted in the following environments:

MongoDB Atlas: The fully managed service for MongoDB deployments in the cloud

MongoDB Enterprise: The subscription-based, self-managed version of MongoDB
MongoDB Community: The source-available, free-to-use, and self-managed version of MongoDB

Syntax

The drop() method has the following form:

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

The drop() method 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"`.

Behavior

The db.collection.drop() method and drop command create an invalidate for any Change Streams opened on dropped collection.
The db.collection.drop() method and drop command abort any in-progress index builds on the target collection before dropping the collection.
For replica sets or shard replica sets, aborting an index on the primary does not simultaneously abort secondary index builds. MongoDB attempts to abort the in-progress builds for the specified indexes on the primary and if successful creates an associated abort oplog entry. Secondary members with replicated in-progress builds wait for a commit or abort oplog entry from the primary before either committing or aborting the index build.
Dropping a collection deletes its associated zone/tag ranges.
Starting in MongoDB 5.0, the drop command and the db.collection.drop() method return an error if you try to drop a collection in the admin database or the config database from a mongos. To drop these collections, connect to the config server and run the command there.
Warning
Dropping collections in the admin database or the config database can leave your cluster in an unusable state.
Starting in MongoDB 6.0, the db.collection.drop() method drops the specified collection and any internal collections related to encrypted fields.
Warning
The db.collection.drop() method's behavior differs from the driver's drop method's behavior. The driver's connection must have automatic encryption enabled in order to drop both the specified collection and any internal collections related to encrypted fields. mongosh always drops the specified collection and any internal collections related to encrypted fields.

Reusing Dropped Collection Names on Sharded Clusters

On a sharded cluster, if you create a collection that has the same name as a previously deleted collection prior to MongoDB 5.0, mongos may forward operations to the wrong shard. To avoid this situation use the version-specific instructions below:

For a sharded cluster running MongoDB 5.0 or later, no special action is required. Use the drop() method and then create a new collection with the same name.

For a sharded cluster, if you use the drop() method 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.

Flushing the cached routing tables is the preferred procedure because it is faster than removing sharded collections with db.collection.remove(). Only use the remove() approach if you want to avoid flushing the cache.

Resource Locking

db.collection.drop() obtains an exclusive lock on the specified collection for the duration of the operation. All subsequent operations on the collection must wait until db.collection.drop() releases the lock.

Example

Drop a Collection Using Default Write Concern

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

db.students.drop()

Drop a Collection Using `w: 1` Write Concern

db.collection.drop() accepts an options document.

The following operation drops the students collection in the current database. The operation uses the 1 write concern:

db.students.drop( { writeConcern: { w: 1 } } )

Back

db.collection.distinct

db.collection.dropIndex