In SQL, which command is used to remove records from a database?

The command used to remove records from a database in SQL is DELETE. This command is specifically designed to remove one or more records from a specified table. When using DELETE, you can optionally include a WHERE clause to target specific records, allowing for precise removal of data without affecting the entire table.

For example, using DELETE without a WHERE clause would remove all records from a table, whereas including a condition allows for selective deletion based on specified criteria. This flexibility is essential for managing data in relational databases.

The other options do not serve the same purpose in SQL. REMOVE, for instance, is not an established SQL command; DROP is used to delete entire tables or databases, and ERASE is not recognized in SQL syntax at all. The use of DELETE specifically indicates the intention to remove records while maintaining the structure of the table itself.