<synopsis>

[ WITH [ RECURSIVE ] <replaceable class="parameter">with_query</replaceable> [, ...] ]

DELETE FROM [ ONLY ] <replaceable class="parameter">table_name</replaceable> [ * ] [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">alias</replaceable> ]

[ USING <replaceable class="parameter">using_list</replaceable> ]

[ USING <replaceable class="parameter">from_item</replaceable> [, ...] ]

[ WHERE <replaceable class="parameter">condition</replaceable> | WHERE CURRENT OF <replaceable class="parameter">cursor_name</replaceable> ]

[ RETURNING * | <replaceable class="parameter">output_expression</replaceable> [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">output_name</replaceable> ] [, ...] ]

</synopsis>

</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>

<term><replaceable class="parameter">using_list</replaceable></term>

<term><replaceable class="parameter">from_item</replaceable></term>

<listitem>

<para>

Alist oftableexpressions, allowing columns from other tables

to appearin the <literal>WHERE</literal> condition. Thisis similar

to the list of tables that can be specified inthe <xref

thetablename can be specified. Do not repeat the target table

inthe <replaceable class="parameter">using_list</replaceable>,

unless you wish to set up a self-join.

A tableexpression allowing columns from other tables to appear

in the <literal>WHERE</literal> condition. Thisuses the same

syntax asthe <xref linkend="sql-from" endterm="sql-from-title"/>

tableas a <replaceable class="parameter">from_item</replaceable>

unless you wish to set up a self-join (inwhich case it must appear

with an alias in the <replaceable>from_item</replaceable>).

</para>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>

( <replaceable class="parameter">column_name</replaceable> [, ...] ) = [ ROW ] ( { <replaceable class="parameter">expression</replaceable> | DEFAULT } [, ...] ) |

( <replaceable class="parameter">column_name</replaceable> [, ...] ) = ( <replaceable class="parameter">sub-SELECT</replaceable> )

} [, ...]

[ FROM <replaceable class="parameter">from_list</replaceable> ]

[ FROM <replaceable class="parameter">from_item</replaceable> [, ...] ]

[ WHERE <replaceable class="parameter">condition</replaceable> | WHERE CURRENT OF <replaceable class="parameter">cursor_name</replaceable> ]

[ RETURNING * | <replaceable class="parameter">output_expression</replaceable> [ [ AS ] <replaceable class="parameter">output_name</replaceable> ] [, ...] ]

</synopsis>

</varlistentry>

<varlistentry>

<term><replaceable class="parameter">from_list</replaceable></term>

<term><replaceable class="parameter">from_item</replaceable></term>

<listitem>

<para>

Alist oftableexpressions, allowing columns from other tables

to appear inthe <literal>WHERE</literal> condition andtheupdate

expressions. This is similar to thelist of tables that can be

specified in the <xref linkend="sql-from"

statement. Note thatthe target tablemust not appear in the

<replaceable>from_list</replaceable>,unless you intend a self-join (in which

case it must appear withan alias in the <replaceable>from_list</replaceable>).

A tableexpression allowing columns from other tables to appear in

the <literal>WHERE</literal> condition and update expressions. This

uses the same syntax as the<xref linkend="sql-from"

endterm="sql-from-title"/> of a <command>SELECT</command> statement;

repeatthe target tableas a <replaceable>from_item</replaceable>

unless you intend a self-join (in which case it must appear with

an alias in the <replaceable>from_item</replaceable>).

</para>

</listitem>

</varlistentry>

<para>

When a <literal>FROM</literal> clause is present, what essentially happens

is that the target table is joined to the tables mentioned in the

<replaceable>from_list</replaceable>, and each output row of the join

<replaceable>from_item</replaceable> list, and each output row of the join

represents an update operation for the target table. When using

<literal>FROM</literal> you should ensure that the join

produces at most one output row for each row to be modified. In