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SQL Relational Databases P1

The document discusses keys and superkeys in relational databases. It defines a key as an attribute or set of attributes that uniquely identify a record. A superkey is an attribute or set of attributes that can identify a record, but may contain redundant data. The document provides examples of keys and superkeys for a table of vehicle data. It also discusses primary keys, which uniquely identify records and are chosen from candidate keys. The primary key constraints of uniqueness and not being null are explained. Methods for specifying primary keys when creating or altering tables are also presented. Surrogate keys are introduced as primarily generated keys that allow records to be uniquely identified over time even if the original identifying attributes change. Examples are given of adding serial surrogate keys and

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33 views

SQL Relational Databases P1

The document discusses keys and superkeys in relational databases. It defines a key as an attribute or set of attributes that uniquely identify a record. A superkey is an attribute or set of attributes that can identify a record, but may contain redundant data. The document provides examples of keys and superkeys for a table of vehicle data. It also discusses primary keys, which uniquely identify records and are chosen from candidate keys. The primary key constraints of uniqueness and not being null are explained. Methods for specifying primary keys when creating or altering tables are also presented. Surrogate keys are introduced as primarily generated keys that allow records to be uniquely identified over time even if the original identifying attributes change. Examples are given of adding serial surrogate keys and

Uploaded by

roast
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Keys and superkeys

I N T R O D U C T I O N T O R E L AT I O N A L D ATA B A S E S I N S Q L

Timo Grossenbacher
Data Journalist
The current database model

INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES IN SQL


The database model with primary keys

INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES IN SQL


What is a key?
A ribute(s) that identify a record uniquely

As long as a ributes can be removed: superkey

If no more a ributes can be removed: minimal superkey or key

INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES IN SQL


license_no | serial_no | make | model | year
-------------------+-----------+------------+---------+------
Texas ABC-739 | A69352 | Ford | Mustang | 2
Florida TVP-347 | B43696 | Oldsmobile | Cutlass | 5
New York MPO-22 | X83554 | Oldsmobile | Delta | 1
California 432-TFY | C43742 | Mercedes | 190-D | 99
California RSK-629 | Y82935 | Toyota | Camry | 4
Texas RSK-629 | U028365 | Jaguar | XJS | 4

SK1 = {license_no, serial_no, make, model, year}

SK2 = {license_no, serial_no, make, model}

SK3 = {make, model, year}, SK4 = {license_no, serial_no}, SKi, ..., SKn

Adapted from Elmasri, Navathe (2011): Fundamentals of Database Systems, 6th Ed., Pearson

INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES IN SQL


license_no | serial_no | make | model | year
-------------------+-----------+------------+---------+------
Texas ABC-739 | A69352 | Ford | Mustang | 2
Florida TVP-347 | B43696 | Oldsmobile | Cutlass | 5
New York MPO-22 | X83554 | Oldsmobile | Delta | 1
California 432-TFY | C43742 | Mercedes | 190-D | 99
California RSK-629 | Y82935 | Toyota | Camry | 4
Texas RSK-629 | U028365 | Jaguar | XJS | 4

K1 = {license_no}; K2 = {serial_no}; K3 = {model}; K4 = {make, year}

K1 to 3 only consist of one a ribute

Removing either "make" or "year" from K4 would result in duplicates

Only one candidate key can be the chosen key

INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES IN SQL


Let's discover some
keys!
I N T R O D U C T I O N T O R E L AT I O N A L D ATA B A S E S I N S Q L
Primary keys
I N T R O D U C T I O N T O R E L AT I O N A L D ATA B A S E S I N S Q L

Timo Grossenbacher
Data Journalist
Primary keys
One primary key per database table, chosen from candidate keys

Uniquely identi es records, e.g. for referencing in other tables

Unique and not-null constraints both apply

Primary keys are time-invariant: choose columns wisely!

INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES IN SQL


Specifying primary keys
CREATE TABLE products ( CREATE TABLE example (
product_no integer UNIQUE NOT NULL, a integer,
name text, b integer,
price numeric c integer,
); PRIMARY KEY (a, c)
CREATE TABLE products ( );
product_no integer PRIMARY KEY,
name text,
price numeric
);

Taken from the PostgreSQL documentation.

INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES IN SQL


Specifying primary keys (contd.)
ALTER TABLE table_name
ADD CONSTRAINT some_name PRIMARY KEY (column_name)

INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES IN SQL


INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES IN SQL
Let's practice!
I N T R O D U C T I O N T O R E L AT I O N A L D ATA B A S E S I N S Q L
Surrogate keys
I N T R O D U C T I O N T O R E L AT I O N A L D ATA B A S E S I N S Q L

Timo Grossenbacher
Data Journalist
Surrogate keys
Primary keys should be built from as few columns as possible

Primary keys should never change over time

INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES IN SQL


license_no | serial_no | make | model | color
-------------------+-----------+------------+---------+------
Texas ABC-739 | A69352 | Ford | Mustang | blue
Florida TVP-347 | B43696 | Oldsmobile | Cutlass | black
New York MPO-22 | X83554 | Oldsmobile | Delta | silver
California 432-TFY | C43742 | Mercedes | 190-D | champagne
California RSK-629 | Y82935 | Toyota | Camry | red
Texas RSK-629 | U028365 | Jaguar | XJS | blue

make | model | color


-----------+---------+------
Ford | Mustang | blue
Oldsmobile | Cutlass | black
Oldsmobile | Delta | silver
Mercedes | 190-D | champagne
Toyota | Camry | red
Jaguar | XJS | blue

INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES IN SQL


Adding a surrogate key with serial data type
ALTER TABLE cars
ADD COLUMN id serial PRIMARY KEY;
INSERT INTO cars
VALUES ('Volkswagen', 'Blitz', 'black');

make | model | color | id


----------+---------+-------------+-------------
Ford | Mustang | blue | 1
Oldsmobile | Cutlass | black | 2
Oldsmobile | Delta | silver | 3
Mercedes | 190-D | champagne | 4
Toyota | Camry | red | 5
Jaguar | XJS | blue | 6
Volkswagen | Blitz | black | 7

INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES IN SQL


Adding a surrogate key with serial data type (contd.)
INSERT INTO cars
VALUES ('Opel', 'Astra', 'green', 1);

duplicate key value violates unique constraint "id_pkey"


DETAIL: Key (id)=(1) already exists.

"id" uniquely identi es records in the table – useful for referencing!

INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES IN SQL


Another type of surrogate key
ALTER TABLE table_name
ADD COLUMN column_c varchar(256);

UPDATE table_name
SET column_c = CONCAT(column_a, column_b);
ALTER TABLE table_name
ADD CONSTRAINT pk PRIMARY KEY (column_c);

INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES IN SQL


INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES IN SQL
Let's try this!
I N T R O D U C T I O N T O R E L AT I O N A L D ATA B A S E S I N S Q L

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