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Database Keys

1) A super key is one or more fields that can uniquely identify a record in a table. It includes primary keys, unique keys, and alternate keys. 2) A candidate key is one or more fields that can uniquely identify a record and there can be multiple candidate keys in a table, with only one being selected as the primary key. 3) The primary key uniquely identifies records in a table and cannot contain null or duplicate values. It must be a candidate key.

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119 views8 pages

Database Keys

1) A super key is one or more fields that can uniquely identify a record in a table. It includes primary keys, unique keys, and alternate keys. 2) A candidate key is one or more fields that can uniquely identify a record and there can be multiple candidate keys in a table, with only one being selected as the primary key. 3) The primary key uniquely identifies records in a table and cannot contain null or duplicate values. It must be a candidate key.

Uploaded by

M.Faizan Usman
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Database Keys

SUPER KEY
 Super key is a set of one or more than one keys that can be
used to identify a record uniquely in a table.

 Primary key, Unique key, Alternate Key are subset of


Super Keys
 E.g. of Super Key

ID , ID, Name , ID, Address , ID, Department_ID,


ID, Salary , Name, Address , Name, Address,
So on as any combination which can identify the records
uniquely will be a Super Key
Candidate Key
 A candidate key is a set of one or more fields/columns that
can be identify a record uniquely in a table. There can be
multiple Candidate Keys in one table. Each Candidate key
can work as Primary Key.

 E.g. of Primary Key


Student ID, Registration Number, and RollNo. are
Candidate Keys since all there fields can be work as
Primary Key.
Primary Key
 Primary Key is a set of one or more fields/columns of a
table that uniquely identify a record in database table. It
can not accept null, duplicate values. Only one Candidate
Key can be Primary Key

 E.g. of Primary Key


Student ID, Registration Number, and RollNo. are
Candidate Keys any one can be select as Primary Key
Alternate Key
 An Alternate Key is a key that can be work as a primary
key. Basically it is a Candidate Key that currently is not
Primary Key.
 E.g. of Alternate Key

Registration Number, and RollNo. becomes Alternate


Keys when we defined Student ID as Primary Key.
Composite Key
 Composite Key is a combination of more than one
fields/columns of a table. It can be a candidate Key,
Primary Key
Unique Key
 Unique Key is a set of one or more fields/columns of a
table that uniquely identify a record in database table. It is
like Primary Key but it can be only one null value and it
can not have duplicate values.
Foreign Key
 Foreign Key is a field in database table that is Primary
Key in another table. It can accept multiple null, duplicate
values.

 E.g. of Foreign Key


If we have a DeptID column in the Employee table which
is pointing to DeptID column in a Department table where
it is Primary Key.

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