How do I drop a foreign key constraint only if it exists in sql server?

Question

I can drop a table if it exists using the following code but do not know how to do the same with a constraint:

IF EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM sys.objects WHERE OBJECT_ID = OBJECT_ID(N'TableName') AND type = (N'U')) DROP TABLE TableName
go 

I also add the constraint using this code:

ALTER TABLE [dbo].[TableName] 
  WITH CHECK ADD CONSTRAINT [FK_TableName_TableName2] FOREIGN KEY([FK_Name])
    REFERENCES [dbo].[TableName2] ([ID])
go

Answer 1

This is a lot simpler than the current proposed solution:

IF (OBJECT_ID('dbo.FK_ConstraintName', 'F') IS NOT NULL)
BEGIN
    ALTER TABLE dbo.TableName DROP CONSTRAINT FK_ConstraintName
END

If you need to drop another type of constraint, these are the applicable codes to pass into the OBJECT_ID() function in the second parameter position:

C = CHECK constraint
D = DEFAULT (constraint or stand-alone)
F = FOREIGN KEY constraint
PK = PRIMARY KEY constraint
UQ = UNIQUE constraint

You can also use OBJECT_ID without the second parameter.

Full List of types here :

Object type:

 AF = Aggregate function (CLR) C = CHECK constraint D = DEFAULT (constraint or stand-alone) F = FOREIGN KEY constraint FN = SQL scalar function FS = Assembly (CLR) scalar-function FT = Assembly (CLR) table-valued function IF = SQL inline table-valued function IT = Internal table P = SQL Stored Procedure PC = Assembly (CLR) stored-procedure PG = Plan guide PK = PRIMARY KEY constraint R = Rule (old-style, stand-alone) RF = Replication-filter-procedure S = System base table SN = Synonym SO = Sequence object

Applies to: SQL Server 2012 through SQL Server 2014.

 SQ = Service queue TA = Assembly (CLR) DML trigger TF = SQL table-valued-function TR = SQL DML trigger TT = Table type U = Table (user-defined) UQ = UNIQUE constraint V = View X = Extended stored procedure

Answer 2

The more simple solution is provided in Eric Isaacs's answer. However, it will find constraints on any table. If you want to target a foreign key constraint on a specific table, use this:

IF EXISTS (SELECT * 
  FROM sys.foreign_keys 
   WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'FK_TableName_TableName2')
   AND parent_object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'dbo.TableName')
)
  ALTER TABLE [dbo].[TableName] DROP CONSTRAINT [FK_TableName_TableName2]

Answer 3

In SQL Server 2016 you can use DROP IF EXISTS:

CREATE TABLE t(id int primary key, 
               parentid int
                    constraint tpartnt foreign key references t(id))
GO
ALTER TABLE t
DROP CONSTRAINT IF EXISTS tpartnt
GO
DROP TABLE IF EXISTS t

See https://web.archive.org/web/20151105064708/http://blogs.msdn.com/b/sqlserverstorageengine/archive/2015/11/03/drop-if-exists-new-thing-in-sql-server-2016.aspx

Answer 4

IF (OBJECT_ID('DF_Constraint') IS NOT NULL)
BEGIN
    ALTER TABLE [dbo].[tableName]
    DROP CONSTRAINT DF_Constraint
END

Answer 5

James's answer works just fine if you know the name of the actual constraint. The tricky thing is that in legacy and other real world scenarios you may not know what the constraint is called.

If this is the case you risk creating duplicate constraints, to avoid you can use:

create function fnGetForeignKeyName
(
    @ParentTableName nvarchar(255), 
    @ParentColumnName nvarchar(255),
    @ReferencedTableName nvarchar(255),
    @ReferencedColumnName nvarchar(255)
)
returns nvarchar(255)
as
begin 
    declare @name nvarchar(255)

    select @name = fk.name  from sys.foreign_key_columns fc
    join sys.columns pc on pc.column_id = parent_column_id and parent_object_id = pc.object_id
    join sys.columns rc on rc.column_id = referenced_column_id and referenced_object_id = rc.object_id 
    join sys.objects po on po.object_id = pc.object_id
    join sys.objects ro on ro.object_id = rc.object_id 
    join sys.foreign_keys fk on fk.object_id = fc.constraint_object_id
    where 
        po.object_id = object_id(@ParentTableName) and 
        ro.object_id = object_id(@ReferencedTableName) and
        pc.name = @ParentColumnName and 
        rc.name = @ReferencedColumnName

    return @name
end

go

declare @name nvarchar(255)
declare @sql nvarchar(4000)
-- hunt for the constraint name on 'Badges.BadgeReasonTypeId' table refs the 'BadgeReasonTypes.Id'
select @name = dbo.fnGetForeignKeyName('dbo.Badges', 'BadgeReasonTypeId', 'dbo.BadgeReasonTypes', 'Id')
-- if we find it, the name will not be null
if @name is not null 
begin 
    set @sql = 'alter table Badges drop constraint ' + replace(@name,']', ']]')
    exec (@sql)
end

Answer 6

ALTER TABLE [dbo].[TableName]
    DROP CONSTRAINT FK_TableName_TableName2

Answer 7

Declare @FKeyRemoveQuery NVarchar(max)

IF EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM sys.foreign_keys WHERE parent_object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'dbo.TableName'))

BEGIN
    SELECT @FKeyRemoveQuery='ALTER TABLE dbo.TableName DROP CONSTRAINT [' + LTRIM(RTRIM([name])) + ']'   
    FROM sys.foreign_keys
    WHERE parent_object_id = OBJECT_ID(N'dbo.TableName')

    EXECUTE Sp_executesql @FKeyRemoveQuery 

END

Answer 8

I think this will helpful to you...

    DECLARE @ConstraintName nvarchar(200)
SELECT 
    @ConstraintName = KCU.CONSTRAINT_NAME
FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.REFERENTIAL_CONSTRAINTS AS RC 
INNER JOIN INFORMATION_SCHEMA.KEY_COLUMN_USAGE AS KCU
    ON KCU.CONSTRAINT_CATALOG = RC.CONSTRAINT_CATALOG  
    AND KCU.CONSTRAINT_SCHEMA = RC.CONSTRAINT_SCHEMA 
    AND KCU.CONSTRAINT_NAME = RC.CONSTRAINT_NAME
WHERE
    KCU.TABLE_NAME = 'TABLE_NAME' AND
    KCU.COLUMN_NAME = 'TABLE_COLUMN_NAME'
IF @ConstraintName IS NOT NULL EXEC('alter table TABLE_NAME drop  CONSTRAINT ' + @ConstraintName)

It will delete foreign Key Constraint based on specific table and column.

Answer 9

The accepted answer on this question doesn't seem to work for me. I achieved the same thing with a slightly different method:

IF (select object_id from sys.foreign_keys where [name] = 'FK_TableName_TableName2') IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
    ALTER TABLE dbo.TableName DROP CONSTRAINT FK_TableName_TableName2
END

Answer 10

You can use those queries to find all FKs for your table.

Declare @SchemaName VarChar(200) = 'Schema Name'
Declare @TableName VarChar(200) = 'Table name'

-- Find FK in This table.
SELECT 
    'IF  EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.foreign_keys WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N''' + 
      '[' + OBJECT_SCHEMA_NAME(FK.parent_object_id) + '].[' + FK.name + ']' 
      + ''') AND parent_object_id = OBJECT_ID(N''' + 
      '[' + OBJECT_SCHEMA_NAME(FK.parent_object_id) + '].[' 
      + OBJECT_NAME(FK.parent_object_id) + ']' + ''')) ' +

    'ALTER TABLE ' +  OBJECT_SCHEMA_NAME(FK.parent_object_id) +
    '.[' + OBJECT_NAME(FK.parent_object_id) + 
    '] DROP CONSTRAINT ' + FK.name
    , S.name , O.name, OBJECT_NAME(FK.parent_object_id)
FROM sys.foreign_keys AS FK
INNER JOIN Sys.objects As O 
  ON (O.object_id = FK.parent_object_id )
INNER JOIN SYS.schemas AS S 
  ON (O.schema_id = S.schema_id)  
WHERE 
      O.name = @TableName
      And S.name = @SchemaName


-- Find the FKs in the tables in which this table is used
  SELECT 
    ' IF  EXISTS (SELECT * FROM sys.foreign_keys WHERE object_id = OBJECT_ID(N''' + 
      '[' + OBJECT_SCHEMA_NAME(FK.parent_object_id) + '].[' + FK.name + ']' 
      + ''') AND parent_object_id = OBJECT_ID(N''' + 
      '[' + OBJECT_SCHEMA_NAME(FK.parent_object_id) + '].[' 
      + OBJECT_NAME(FK.parent_object_id) + ']' + ''')) ' +

    ' ALTER TABLE ' +  OBJECT_SCHEMA_NAME(FK.parent_object_id) +
    '.[' + OBJECT_NAME(FK.parent_object_id) + 
    '] DROP CONSTRAINT ' + FK.name
    , S.name , O.name, OBJECT_NAME(FK.parent_object_id)
FROM sys.foreign_keys AS FK
INNER JOIN Sys.objects As O 
  ON (O.object_id = FK.referenced_object_id )
INNER JOIN SYS.schemas AS S 
  ON (O.schema_id = S.schema_id)  
WHERE 
      O.name = @TableName
      And S.name = @SchemaName 

Answer 11

Ok, I know I'm late to the party, but here is the syntax I think is best. Add a schema name if needed to the OBJECT_ID clause.

IF OBJECTPROPERTY(OBJECT_ID(N'My_FK_name'),'IsConstraint') =1
ALTER TABLE dbo.TableName DROP CONSTRAINT My_FK_name

Answer 12

All table constraints will be stored in INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS

IF EXISTS(SELECT * FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLE_CONSTRAINTS AS C WHERE C.CONSTRAINT_NAME = '<CONSTRAINT NAME>' AND C.TABLE_NAME = '<TABLE NAME>')
BEGIN
    ALTER TABLE <TABLE NAME>
        DROP CONSTRAINT <CONSTRAINT NAME>
END
GO

Answer 13

This worked smoothly for Azure Sql server.

IF (OBJECT_ID('dbo.FK_company_id', 'F') IS NOT NULL)
BEGIN
ALTER TABLE dbo.table_company DROP CONSTRAINT FK_company_id
END