How to Reset a Database in BigQuery

Galaxy Glossary

How do I completely reset a dataset (database) in Google BigQuery?

Resetting a database in BigQuery means deleting all objects in a dataset (schema) and recreating it cleanly.

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Description

Example H2

Example H3

What does “resetting a BigQuery database” mean?

BigQuery has no physical database object; datasets act as schemas. A reset therefore involves dropping the dataset (and its tables, views, routines) and recreating it.

When should I reset a dataset?

Reset only in non-production or sandbox projects when you need a clean slate for testing, backfills, or schema refactors. Never reset live datasets without a full backup.

How do I back up data before a reset?

Export critical tables to Cloud Storage using EXPORT DATA or schedule snapshots. Verify exports before proceeding.

What is the SQL syntax to drop and recreate a dataset?

Use DROP SCHEMA (or DROP SCHEMA IF EXISTS) followed by CREATE SCHEMA. CLI users can run bq rm -r -f to remove and bq mk to add.

SQL example

DROP SCHEMA IF EXISTS ecommerce_dataset;
CREATE SCHEMA ecommerce_dataset;

CLI example

bq rm -r -f my-project:ecommerce_dataset
bq mk --location=US my-project:ecommerce_dataset

How do I recreate tables after the reset?

Run the DDL scripts stored in version control. Always version table definitions so you can restore quickly.

Can I reset selectively?

Yes. Instead of dropping the dataset, truncate or drop individual tables: TRUNCATE TABLE ecommerce_dataset.Orders;

Best practices for safe resets

1) Always export data. 2) Use CI/CD jobs to run reset scripts. 3) Protect production datasets with IAM rules to block accidental DROP commands.

Common pitfalls

Dropping without IF EXISTS causes errors if the dataset is missing. Forgetting -r in bq rm leaves tables orphaned and the command fails.

Why How to Reset a Database in BigQuery is important

How to Reset a Database in BigQuery Example Usage


-- Reset ecommerce dataset and recreate empty Customers table
DROP SCHEMA IF EXISTS ecommerce_dataset CASCADE;
CREATE SCHEMA ecommerce_dataset OPTIONS(location="US");
CREATE TABLE ecommerce_dataset.Customers (
    id INT64,
    name STRING,
    email STRING,
    created_at TIMESTAMP
);

How to Reset a Database in BigQuery Syntax


-- SQL
DROP SCHEMA [IF EXISTS] project_id.dataset_name [CASCADE];
CREATE SCHEMA [IF NOT EXISTS] project_id.dataset_name
    [OPTIONS(location="US")];

-- Example in ecommerce context
DROP SCHEMA IF EXISTS ecommerce_dataset CASCADE; -- removes Customers, Orders, Products, OrderItems
CREATE SCHEMA ecommerce_dataset OPTIONS(location="US");

Common Mistakes

Running bq rm without -r flag: The command fails because it refuses to delete non-empty datasets. Always add -r to remove the dataset recursively.
Dropping production datasets without backup: Users often forget to export data first. Always EXPORT DATA or snapshot tables before running DROP SCHEMA or bq rm.