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Constraints

The document outlines various constraints in MySQL that enforce data integrity, including UNIQUE, NOT NULL, PRIMARY KEY, FOREIGN KEY, DEFAULT, CHECK, and AUTO_INCREMENT. It provides syntax for creating tables with these constraints, modifying existing tables, and dropping constraints. Each constraint serves a specific purpose in maintaining the accuracy and reliability of data within a database.

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0 views5 pages

Constraints

The document outlines various constraints in MySQL that enforce data integrity, including UNIQUE, NOT NULL, PRIMARY KEY, FOREIGN KEY, DEFAULT, CHECK, and AUTO_INCREMENT. It provides syntax for creating tables with these constraints, modifying existing tables, and dropping constraints. Each constraint serves a specific purpose in maintaining the accuracy and reliability of data within a database.

Uploaded by

kousar banu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Constraints

In MySQL, constraints are rules applied to columns in a table to enforce data integrity,
define relationships, and ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data.

CREATE TABLE table_name (


Column_name1 datatype constraint,
Column_name2 datatype constraint,
Column_name3 datatype constraint,
.........
);

UNIQUE

A UNIQUE constraint ensures that all values in a column are UNIQUE across the table,
but it accepts NULL.

During Table Creation (with Column Name):

CREATE TABLE table_name (


column_name data_type UNIQUE
);

During Table Creation (at End):

CREATE TABLE table_name (


column1 data_type,
column2 data_type,
UNIQUE (column1)
);

Adding to Existing Table:

ALTER TABLE table_name


ADD UNIQUE (column_name);

Dropping UNIQUE Constraint:

ALTER TABLE table_name


DROP INDEX index_name;
NOT NULL

This constraint ensures that a column cannot contain NULL values.

During Table Creation:

CREATE TABLE table_name (


column_name data_type NOT NULL
);

Adding to Existing Table:

ALTER TABLE table_name


MODIFY column_name data_type NOT NULL;

PRIMARY KEY

A primary key uniquely identifies each record in a table. Only one primary key is allowed
per table, and it cannot contain NULL values.

During Table Creation (with Column Name):

CREATE TABLE table_name (


column_name data_type PRIMARY KEY
);

During Table Creation (at End):

CREATE TABLE table_name (


column1 data_type,
column2 data_type,
PRIMARY KEY (column1)
);

Adding to Existing Table:

ALTER TABLE table_name


ADD PRIMARY KEY (column_name);
Dropping PRIMARY KEY:

ALTER TABLE table_name


DROP PRIMARY KEY;

FOREIGN KEY
A FOREIGN KEY is used to establish a relationship between two tables.

It links a column in one table (the child table) to the PRIMARY KEY of another table (the
parent table), ensuring referential integrity.

● Parent Table: The table containing the referenced key (usually the primary key).
● Child Table: The table containing the foreign key that references the parent
table.

During Table Creation:

without named constraint :

CREATE TABLE child_table (


column_name data_type,
FOREIGN KEY (column_name) REFERENCES parent_table (parent_column)
);

With Named Constraint :

CREATE TABLE child_table (


column_name data_type,
CONSTRAINT fk_name FOREIGN KEY (column_name) REFERENCES
parent_table (parent_column)
);

Adding to Existing Table:

ALTER TABLE child_table


ADD CONSTRAINT fk_name
FOREIGN KEY (child_column) REFERENCES parent_table (parent_column);

Dropping FOREIGN KEY:


ALTER TABLE child_table
DROP FOREIGN KEY fk_name;

DEFAULT

A default constraint assigns a default value to a column if no value is specified.

During Table Creation:

CREATE TABLE table_name (


column_name data_type DEFAULT default_value
);

Modifying Existing Table:

ALTER TABLE table_name


MODIFY column_name data_type DEFAULT default_value;

Dropping DEFAULT:

ALTER TABLE table_name


ALTER COLUMN column_name DROP DEFAULT;

CHECK

The check constraint allows you to specify a condition that each value in a column must
satisfy.

During Table Creation:

without named constraint :

CREATE TABLE table_name (


column_name data_type CHECK (condition)
);

With Named Constraint :


CREATE TABLE table_name (
column_name data_type,
CONSTRAINT constraint_name CHECK (condition)
);

Adding to Existing Table:

ALTER TABLE table_name


ADD CONSTRAINT constraint_name CHECK (condition);

Dropping CHECK Constraint:

ALTER TABLE table_name


DROP CHECK constraint_name;

AUTO_INCREMENT

This constraint is typically used with a primary key to automatically generate a unique
integer value for new rows.

Setting AUTO_INCREMENT:

CREATE TABLE table_name (


column_name INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY
);

Changing Starting Value:

ALTER TABLE table_name AUTO_INCREMENT = value;

Changing Increment Step:

SET @@auto_increment_increment = value;

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