# DETACH DATABASE

> **📝 Note**: Prior to using this command, the `enable_bottomless` [engine variable](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/reference/configuration-reference/engine-variables.md) must be set to `ON` (the default value). 

The `DETACH DATABASE` command takes an unlimited storage database offline.

Refer to the [Permission Matrix](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/reference/sql-reference/security-management-commands/permissions-matrix.md) for the required permissions.

## Syntax

```
DETACH DATABASE remote_database_name [AT MILESTONE "milestone_name" | FORCE | KILL]
```

## Arguments

## milestone\_name

A quoted string that specifies the milestone from which to detach the database.

## FORCE

The `FORCE` argument allows you to terminate ongoing uploads to remote storage and forcibly detach the database. This can be useful in situations where, for example, the detach process is unable to upload blobs to remote storage or encounters a connection loss error - scenarios in which the database cannot be detached normally and the process may become stuck.

The `FORCE` option is applicable only for clusters using unlimited storage and is intended primarily for emergency recovery. It is not recommended for routine use.

When the `FORCE` argument is **not included**, all outstanding changes are uploaded into remote storage before detaching.

When the `FORCE` argument is **included**, SingleStore immediately stops all ongoing uploads and detaches the database. Any data not yet uploaded to remote storage, such as columnstore blobs, rowstore data, or logs, will be lost, resulting in potential data loss. Note that this operation only detaches the database, and does not drop or delete it.

To reattach the database, use the `ATTACH DATABASE` command. While SingleStore restores the database, any data that was not previously uploaded to remote storage will be missing after reattachment.

## KILL

The `KILL` argument is less disruptive than `FORCE`, but serves a similar purpose. If detaching a database fails due to a long-running query, you can use the `KILL` argument to terminate the active query or workload and then proceed with detaching the database.

Unlike `FORCE`, the `KILL` argument only stops currently running queries and ensures that all data is uploaded to remote storage before the database is detached. This means that when you later reattach the database, all your data previously uploaded to remote storage will be available. Only the data from the terminated query will be lost, as it was stopped before the detach operation completed.

## Remarks

* If `FORCE` is **not** specified, the following apply:

  * A milestone (restore point) is implicitly created via the [CREATE MILESTONE](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/reference/sql-reference/data-definition-language-ddl/create-milestone.md) command.
  * While the milestone is being created, SingleStore uploads the remote database's local cluster data to remote storage which has not yet been synced.
  * If `milestone_name` is not specified, a name containing the current timestamp is automatically generated.
* Once a database is detached, information about that database and its milestones is no longer visible in the `MV_*` views such as `MV_MILESTONES` and `MV_BOTTOMLESS_DATABASE`. The information is available again once the database is reattached.
* After detaching a database, you can reattach the database using [ATTACH DATABASE](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/reference/sql-reference/data-definition-language-ddl/attach-database.md). The database can be reattached at a milestone or a specified point in time, using either the same database name or the one specified.
* The `BACKUP DATABASE` command cannot be run on a detached database. To run the `BACKUP DATABASE` command, all the partitions of a database must be either in the `online` or `replicating` state.
* This command cannot be run on [system databases](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/reference/system-databases.md).
* Refer to the [Permission Matrix](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/reference/sql-reference/security-management-commands/permissions-matrix.md) for the required permissions.

## Examples

```sql
DETACH DATABASE db AT MILESTONE "m";
```

```sql
DETACH DATABASE db KILL;
```

***

Modified at: June 11, 2026

Source: [/db/v9.1/reference/sql-reference/data-definition-language-ddl/detach-database/](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/reference/sql-reference/data-definition-language-ddl/detach-database/)

(An index of the documentation is available at /llms.txt)