sql - How to delete rows in tables that contain foreign keys to other tables

Question

Suppose there is a main table containing a primary key and there is another table which contains a foreign key to this main table. So if we delete the row of main table it will delete the child table also.

How do I write this query?

Answer 1

First, as a one-time data-scrubbing exercise, delete the orphaned rows e.g.

DELETE 
  FROM ReferencingTable 
 WHERE NOT EXISTS (
                   SELECT * 
                     FROM MainTable AS T1
                    WHERE T1.pk_col_1 = ReferencingTable.pk_col_1
                  );

Second, as a one-time schema-alteration exercise, add the ON DELETE CASCADE referential action to the foreign key on the referencing table e.g.

ALTER TABLE ReferencingTable DROP 
   CONSTRAINT fk__ReferencingTable__MainTable;

ALTER TABLE ReferencingTable ADD 
   CONSTRAINT fk__ReferencingTable__MainTable 
      FOREIGN KEY (pk_col_1)
      REFERENCES MainTable (pk_col_1)
      ON DELETE CASCADE;

Then, forevermore, rows in the referencing tables will automatically be deleted when their referenced row is deleted.