---
title: "DROP LANGUAGE"
id: sql-droplanguage
pg_version: "20devel"
---

<a id="sql-droplanguage"></a>

# DROP LANGUAGE — remove a procedural language

## Synopsis

```
DROP [ PROCEDURAL ] LANGUAGE [ IF EXISTS ] name [ CASCADE | RESTRICT ]
```

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## Description

`DROP LANGUAGE` removes the definition of a previously registered procedural language. You must be a superuser or the owner of the language to use `DROP LANGUAGE`. 


> [!NOTE]
> As of PostgreSQL 9.1, most procedural languages have been made into "extensions", and should therefore be removed with [`DROP EXTENSION`](sql-dropextension.md) not `DROP LANGUAGE`.

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## Parameters

**`IF EXISTS`**

 Do not throw an error if the language does not exist. A notice is issued in this case. **`name`**

 The name of an existing procedural language. **`CASCADE`**

 Automatically drop objects that depend on the language (such as functions in the language), and in turn all objects that depend on those objects (see [Section 5.17](ddl-depend.md)). **`RESTRICT`**

 Refuse to drop the language if any objects depend on it. This is the default. <a id="id-1.9.3.119.7"></a>

## Examples

This command removes the procedural language `plsample`: 
DROP LANGUAGE plsample;


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## Compatibility

There is no `DROP LANGUAGE` statement in the SQL standard. 

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## See Also

[ALTER LANGUAGE](sql-alterlanguage.md), [CREATE LANGUAGE](sql-createlanguage.md)