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Primary key

In the relational model of databases, a primary key is a designated set of attributes (column(s)) that can reliably identify and distinguish between each individual record in a table. The database creator can choose an existing unique attribute or combination of attributes from the table (a natural key) to act as its primary key, or create a new…

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Design

Foreign keySQLUniversally unique identifierHi/Lo algorithm
4 related topics

Overview

Relational modelDatabasesColumn(s)TableNatural key
13 related topics

Surrogate keys

ORMActive record patternDue diligence
3 related topics

Defining primary keys in SQL

RDBMS
1 related topics

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Overview

Design

Defining primary keys in SQL

Surrogate keys

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Map overview Semantic statistics

Primary key

Nodes26
Edges25
Triples28
Avg. degree1.92
Density0.076923
Components1

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Primary key

Top relations

related to Defining primary keys in SQL · 11
Primary key → Each, In, ISO SQL Standard, NOT NULL, Note, NULL, Primary, RDBMS, SQL, SQL Standard, The
related to Design · 5
Primary key → In, Primary, Some, SQL, The
is a · 3
Primary key → choice, designated set of attributes, specific choice of a minimal set of attributes that uniquely specify a tuple
related to Alternate key · 3
Primary key → Alternate, Other, Typically
related to Surrogate keys · 3
Primary key → For, In, Since

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Important terminology

primary key keys table sql may relational surrogate database candidate unique used model natural attributes alternate one column needed choice

Entity relationships Subject–Predicate–Object triples

SubjectPredicateObjectConfidenceSrc
Primary keyis adesignated set of attributes0.90text
Primary keyis aspecific choice of a minimal set of attributes that uniquely specify a tuple0.90text
Primary keyis achoice0.90text
a national identification number attribute for person recordsinstance ofExamples of natural keys that could be suitable primary keys include data that is already by definition unique to all items in the table0.80text
or the combination of a timestamp attribute with a location attribute for event records.More formallyinstance ofExamples of natural keys that could be suitable primary keys include data that is already by definition unique to all items in the table0.80text
a primary key is a specific choice of a minimal set of attributes that uniquely specify a tupleinstance ofExamples of natural keys that could be suitable primary keys include data that is already by definition unique to all items in the table0.80text
Primary keyrelated to Alternate keyTypically0.60section
Primary keyrelated to Alternate keyOther0.60section
Primary keyrelated to Alternate keyAlternate0.60section
Primary keyrelated to Defining primary keys in SQLPrimary0.60section
Primary keyrelated to Defining primary keys in SQLISO SQL Standard0.60section
Primary keyrelated to Defining primary keys in SQLThe0.60section

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    Min side: 3
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