SQL Integrity Constraints Assignment:

Complete Implementation and Execution

Guide
This comprehensive assignment provides hands-on experience with SQL Data Definition
Language (DDL) integrity constraints using MySQL or any relational database
management system . Students will gain practical experience in implementing
[1][2]

PRIMARY KEY, FOREIGN KEY, UNIQUE, NOT NULL, and CHECK constraints while
understanding their role in maintaining data integrity and enforcing business rules .
[3][4]

Understanding SQL Integrity Constraints

Definition and Purpose

SQL integrity constraints are rules enforced at the database level to ensure data
accuracy, consistency, and reliability . These constraints automatically validate data
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during INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE operations, preventing invalid data from entering
the database and maintaining referential integrity between related tables . Integrity
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constraints represent business rules that must always be true or false, providing a more
reliable enforcement mechanism than application-level validation .
[6]

Types of Integrity Constraints

The five primary types of integrity constraints each serve specific purposes in database
design . PRIMARY KEY constraints uniquely identify each row in a table and
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automatically enforce both NOT NULL and UNIQUE properties . FOREIGN KEY
[7][8]

constraints maintain referential integrity by ensuring values in child tables correspond to

existing values in parent tables . UNIQUE constraints prevent duplicate values in
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specified columns while allowing NULL values unless combined with NOT NULL . NOT
[11][12]

NULL constraints prevent empty or missing data in critical fields [12][13]

. CHECK constraints
validate data against specific conditions, enabling complex business rule enforcement [14]

.
[15]

Software Requirements and Installation Process

MySQL Installation on Windows

The assignment requires MySQL Server version 8.0 or later and MySQL Workbench for
visual database management . Students must download the MySQL Installer from
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the official MySQL website, selecting the Community version which provides all necessary
tools for the assignment . The installation process involves choosing the "Custom"
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setup type to select specific components including MySQL Server, MySQL Workbench,
and MySQL Shell .
[17][19]

Configuration and Setup

During installation, students should configure the MySQL Server with "Development
Computer" settings, establish a secure root password, and ensure the server runs on the
default port 3306 [17][19]
. The MySQL Workbench configuration requires creating a new
connection to the local MySQL server using standard TCP/IP protocol with localhost as the
hostname [20][19]
. Proper verification involves testing the connection to confirm successful
communication between the client and server .
[17][20]

Database Schema Design and Implementation

University Database System Architecture

The assignment utilizes a comprehensive university database system with six

interconnected tables demonstrating proper database normalization and referential
integrity . The schema includes Departments, Students, Professors, Courses,
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Course_Enrollment, and Student_Grades tables, each serving specific functions while

maintaining relationships through foreign key constraints .
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Table Creation and Constraint Implementation

The implementation follows a systematic approach beginning with parent tables that
have no foreign key dependencies, such as Departments and Students, followed by child
tables that reference these parent entities . Each table demonstrates different
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constraint types: the Students table showcases PRIMARY KEY and UNIQUE constraints on
email addresses, while the Professors table illustrates FOREIGN KEY relationships to the
Departments table [3][7]
.

Practical Implementation Examples

PRIMARY KEY Constraint Implementation

PRIMARY KEY constraints serve as the foundation for table identification and relationship
establishment [7][8]
. Single-column primary keys provide straightforward unique
identification, as demonstrated in the Students table where student_id serves as the
primary key . Composite primary keys, illustrated in the Course_Enrollment table
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using both student_id and course_id, enable unique identification based on multiple
column combinations [7][24]
.

-- Single Column Primary Key

CREATE TABLE Students (
student_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
first_name VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
last_name VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
email VARCHAR(100) UNIQUE
);

-- Composite Primary Key

CREATE TABLE Course_Enrollment (
student_id INT,
course_id INT,
enrollment_date DATE DEFAULT CURRENT_DATE,
grade CHAR(2),
CONSTRAINT PK_Course_Enrollment PRIMARY KEY (student_id, course_id)
);

FOREIGN KEY Constraint Implementation

FOREIGN KEY constraints establish and maintain referential integrity between related
tables, ensuring that values in child tables correspond to existing values in parent tables
. The Professors table demonstrates this relationship by referencing the Departments
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table through the dept_id column, preventing the creation of professor records for non-
existent departments .
[9][6]

CREATE TABLE Professors (

prof_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
prof_name VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,
dept_id INT,
hire_date DATE,
salary DECIMAL(10,2),
CONSTRAINT FK_Prof_Dept FOREIGN KEY (dept_id) REFERENCES Departments(dept_id)
);

UNIQUE and NOT NULL Constraint Implementation

UNIQUE constraints ensure data uniqueness beyond primary keys, as demonstrated by
email addresses in the Students table which must be unique across all records [11][12]
. NOT
NULL constraints prevent missing data in critical fields, ensuring that essential
information such as names and required contact details are always provided [12][13]
.

CHECK Constraint Implementation

CHECK constraints enable sophisticated business rule validation through conditional logic
. The Student_Grades table demonstrates multiple CHECK constraints: grade_points
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must fall between 0.0 and 4.0, and letter_grade must be one of the valid grade options [25]

. Complex CHECK constraints can involve multiple columns and conditions, as shown in
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the Student_Demographics table which validates age ranges based on student status [15]

.
[26]

CREATE TABLE Student_Grades (

grade_id INT PRIMARY KEY,
student_id INT,
course_id INT,
grade_points DECIMAL(3,2) CHECK (grade_points >= 0.0 AND grade_points <= 4.0),
letter_grade CHAR(2) CHECK (letter_grade IN ('A+', 'A', 'A-', 'B+', 'B', 'B-', 'C+', 'C', 'C-', 'D', 'F'))
);

Constraint Testing and Error Handling

Violation Testing Procedures

Comprehensive testing involves deliberately attempting to violate each constraint type to

understand error behaviors and develop troubleshooting skills . PRIMARY KEY
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violations occur when attempting to insert duplicate key values, resulting in Error 1062
with the message "Duplicate entry for key 'PRIMARY'" . FOREIGN KEY violations
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generate Error 1452 when referencing non-existent parent records, while UNIQUE
constraint violations produce duplicate entry errors for the specific unique field [29][28]
.

Common Error Messages and Solutions

Understanding constraint violation error messages enables effective troubleshooting and

problem resolution . NOT NULL constraint violations result in Error 1364 indicating
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that a field doesn't have a default value, while CHECK constraint violations produce Error
3819 when data doesn't meet specified conditions . Each error type requires specific
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resolution strategies ranging from data modification to constraint adjustment [28][27]

.
Step-by-Step Execution Instructions

Phase 1: Environment Setup

The execution process begins with MySQL installation and configuration, requiring
approximately 30-45 minutes for complete setup . Students must download the
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MySQL Community Installer, select appropriate components, and configure server

settings for development use . Database creation involves establishing the
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IntegrityConstraintsDB database and verifying proper connection through MySQL

Workbench .
[20][17]

Phase 2: Constraint Implementation

Implementation proceeds through systematic constraint creation, beginning with DDL

commands for table structure definition . Each constraint type requires specific testing
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procedures to verify proper functionality and error handling capabilities . Students

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must document successful implementations with screenshots and record constraint

violation examples with their corresponding error messages .
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Phase 3: Testing and Validation

Comprehensive testing involves creating valid test data that satisfies all constraints,
followed by deliberate violation attempts to verify constraint enforcement [27][30]
.
Verification queries demonstrate constraint relationships and validate proper data
integrity maintenance throughout the database . Performance considerations include
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understanding the impact of constraints on INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE operations [23]

.
[28]

Assessment and Documentation Requirements

Technical Implementation Criteria

The assignment evaluation focuses on correct constraint implementation with proper

syntax and understanding of each constraint type's purpose and behavior . Students
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must demonstrate successful table creation, appropriate constraint application, and

effective error handling through comprehensive testing procedures . Documentation
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requirements include complete SQL scripts, execution screenshots, and detailed

explanations of constraint functionality [31][27]
.
Submission Components

Complete assignment submission requires multiple components including executable SQL

scripts, verification screenshots, and comprehensive written reports [31][27]
. The SQL script
must contain all constraint implementations with test data and verification queries, while
screenshots must document successful operations and constraint violation errors .
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Written analysis should include personal insights, learning outcomes, and best practice
recommendations .
[31][27]

Best Practices and Performance Considerations

Database Design Principles

Effective constraint implementation requires understanding of database normalization

principles and proper relationship modeling . Constraints should reflect genuine
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business rules rather than arbitrary restrictions, ensuring that data integrity rules align
with organizational requirements . Performance impact considerations include the
[6][4]

effect of constraint checking on bulk data operations and the balance between data
integrity and system performance [23][28]
.

Troubleshooting and Maintenance

Constraint maintenance involves regular review of constraint definitions to ensure

continued relevance to business requirements . Common troubleshooting scenarios
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include handling constraint conflicts with existing data, managing cascade operations for
referential integrity, and optimizing constraint performance for large datasets [28][23]
.
Effective constraint management requires documentation of business rules, systematic
testing procedures, and proactive monitoring of constraint violations .
[27][6]

This comprehensive assignment provides approximately 2.5-3 hours of hands-on learning

experience, covering fundamental database concepts through practical implementation
while building essential skills for database management and development careers [18][27]
.
Success requires careful attention to detail, systematic testing methodology, and
thorough documentation of all implementation steps and learning outcomes .
[27][31]

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bd4f9c9ca1f5

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