delete vs remove vs drop vs erase
Use "delete" for permanent removal of a file, row, or resource. Use "remove" when taking something out of a collection without destroying it. Use "drop" in a database context for tables, columns, or indexes. Use "erase" when the underlying content must be wiped, not just dereferenced.
delete
The general-purpose word for permanent removal. Used for files, database rows, and resources via HTTP DELETE. The thing is gone after this.
"DELETE FROM users WHERE id = 42;"
remove
Take something out of a collection (list, set, array) without necessarily destroying it. The element may still exist elsewhere; it's just no longer in this collection.
"active_users.remove(user) # user object still exists, just not in this list"
drop
A database-specific term for permanently destroying a table, column, index, or database. Irreversible and destructive. Also used in networking (drop a packet) and some queues.
"ALTER TABLE orders DROP COLUMN legacy_code;"
erase
Wipe out content or data completely, often overwriting the underlying storage. Common in C++ (std::vector::erase), memory management, and security contexts where simply deleting a reference is not enough.
"vec.erase(vec.begin() + 2); // C++: removes element at index 2 and shifts the rest"
Other comparisons
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