How to drop all tables in a SQL Server database?

Question

You can also delete all tables from database using only MSSMS UI tools (without using SQL script). Sometimes this way can be more comfortable (especially if it is performed occasionally)

I do this step by step as follows:

1. Select 'Tables' on the database tree (Object Explorer)
2. Press F7 to open Object Explorer Details view
3. In this view select tables which have to be deleted (in this case all of them)
4. Keep pressing Delete until all tables have been deleted (you repeat it as many times as amount of errors due to key constraints/dependencies)

It doesn't work for me either when there are multiple foreign key tables.
I found that code that works and does everything you try (delete all tables from your database):

DECLARE @Sql NVARCHAR(500) DECLARE @Cursor CURSOR

SET @Cursor = CURSOR FAST_FORWARD FOR
SELECT DISTINCT sql = 'ALTER TABLE [' + tc2.TABLE_SCHEMA + '].[' +  tc2.TABLE_NAME + '] DROP [' + rc1.CONSTRAINT_NAME + '];'
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.REFERENTIAL_CONSTRAINTS rc1
LEFT JOIN INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS tc2 ON tc2.CONSTRAINT_NAME =rc1.CONSTRAINT_NAME

OPEN @Cursor FETCH NEXT FROM @Cursor INTO @Sql

WHILE (@@FETCH_STATUS = 0)
BEGIN
Exec sp_executesql @Sql
FETCH NEXT FROM @Cursor INTO @Sql
END

CLOSE @Cursor DEALLOCATE @Cursor
GO

EXEC sp_MSforeachtable 'DROP TABLE ?'
GO

You can find the post here. It is the post by Groker.

In SSMS:

• Right click the database
• Go to "Tasks"
• Click "Generate Scripts"
• In the "Choose Objects" section, select "Script entire database and all database objects"
• In the "Set Scripting Options" section, click the "Advanced" button
• On "Script DROP and CREATE" switch "Script CREATE" to "Script DROP" and press OK
• Then, either save to file, clipboard, or new query window.
• Run script.

Now, this will drop everything, including the database. Make sure to remove the code for the items you don't want dropped. Alternatively, in the "Choose Objects" section, instead of selecting to script entire database just select the items you want to remove.

The accepted answer doesn't support Azure. It uses an undocumented stored procedure "sp_MSforeachtable". If you get an "azure could not find stored procedure 'sp_msforeachtable" error when running or simply want to avoid relying on undocumented features (which can be removed or have their functionality changed at any point) then try the below.

This version ignores the entity framework migration history table "__MigrationHistory" and the "database_firewall_rules" which is an Azure table you will not have permission to delete.

Lightly tested on Azure. Do check to make this this has no undesired effects on your environment.

DECLARE @sql NVARCHAR(2000)

WHILE(EXISTS(SELECT 1 from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS WHERE CONSTRAINT_TYPE='FOREIGN KEY'))
BEGIN
    SELECT TOP 1 @sql=('ALTER TABLE ' + TABLE_SCHEMA + '.[' + TABLE_NAME + '] DROP CONSTRAINT [' + CONSTRAINT_NAME + ']')
    FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS
    WHERE CONSTRAINT_TYPE = 'FOREIGN KEY'
    EXEC(@sql)
    PRINT @sql
END

WHILE(EXISTS(SELECT * from INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES WHERE TABLE_NAME != '__MigrationHistory' AND TABLE_NAME != 'database_firewall_rules'))
BEGIN
    SELECT TOP 1 @sql=('DROP TABLE ' + TABLE_SCHEMA + '.[' + TABLE_NAME + ']')
    FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES
    WHERE TABLE_NAME != '__MigrationHistory' AND TABLE_NAME != 'database_firewall_rules'
    EXEC(@sql)
    PRINT @sql
END

Taken from:

https://edspencer.me.uk/2013/02/25/drop-all-tables-in-a-sql-server-database-azure-friendly/

http://www.sqlservercentral.com/blogs/sqlservertips/2011/10/11/remove-all-foreign-keys/