# 6.4.14 DROP DIRECTORY

Part of: [6 Language](6-language.md) › [6.4 Data Definition Language (DDL)](6-4-data-definition-language-ddl.md)

### Syntax

**DROP** **DIRECTORY** _directory_name_ [**,** _directory_name_]\*

### Description

Drop (i.e. delete) an existing directory named _directory_name_. Multiple directories can be dropped at once by separating their names with a comma (,). If _directory_name_ contains directories or files (i.e. is not empty), it will not be dropped, no subsequent directories are dropped, and an error is raised.

### Parameter(s)

_directory_name_ – mandatory string that specifies the name of the directory to drop (i.e. delete).

### Return

Nothing

### Example(s)

```hdfql
# create two directories named "my_directory0" and "my_directory1" within the working directory currently in use
CREATE DIRECTORY my_directory0, my_directory1

# create two directories named "my_subdirectory0" and "my_subdirectory1" within the directory "my_directory0"
CREATE DIRECTORY my_directory0/my_subdirectory0, my_directory0/my_subdirectory1

# drop (i.e. delete) directory "my_directory1" within the working directory currently in use 
DROP DIRECTORY my_directory1

# drop (i.e. delete) directory "my_subdirectory0" within directory "my_directory0" 
DROP DIRECTORY my_directory0/my_subdirectory0
```