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Prim ary Key, Can didat e Key, Alt ern at e Key, Foreign Key, Com posit e Key

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Keys in RDBMS

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August 6, 2013 5:4 1 pm | 23 Comments | craz yadmin

We know that database uses tables to organiz e information. To maintain data integrity (that is
data should be correct and in well formed) we use concept of keys. There are five types of keys
in database which is as follows -

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Candidate key
Primary Key
Foreign Key
Alternate Key
Composite Key
Example:

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STUDENT {SID, FNAME, LNAME, COURSEID}

Here in STUDENT table keys are:
Candidate keys are SID or FNAME+LAME
Primary Key: SID

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Foreign Key: COURSEID
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Alternate Key:FNAME+LAME

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Composite Key:FNAME+LAME
Candidate Key
Candidate keys are those keys which is candidate for primary key of a table. In simple words we
can understand that such type of keys which full fill all the requirements of primary key which is
not null and have unique records is a candidate for primary key. So thus type of key is known as
candidate key.Every table must have at least one candidate key but at the same time can have
several.

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Primary Key
Such type of candidate key which is chosen as a primary key for table is known as primary key.
Primary keys are used to identify tables. There is only one primary key per table. In SQL Server
when we create primary key to any table then a clustered index is automatically created to that
column.
Foreign Key
Foreign key are those keys which is used to define relationship between two tables. When we
want to implement relationship between two tables then we use concept of foreign key. It is also
known as referential integrity. We can create more than one foreign key per table.foreign key is
generally a primary key from one table that appears as a field in another where the first table has
a relationship to the second. In other words, if we had a table A with a primary key X that linked to
a table B where X was a field in B, then X would be a foreign key in B.
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Prim ary Key, Can didat e Key, Alt ern at e Key, Foreign Key, Com posit e Key

Alternate Key
If any table have more than one candidate key, then after choosing primary key from those
candidate key, rest of candidate keys are known as an alternate key of that table. Like here we
can take a very simple example to understand the concept of alternate key. Suppose we have a
table named Employee which has two columns EmpID and EmpMail, both have not null attributes
and unique value. So both columns are treated as candidate key. Now we make EmpID as a
primary key to that table then EmpMail is known as alternate key.
Composite Key
When we create keys on more than one column then that key is known as composite key. Like
here we can take an example to understand this feature. I have a table Student which has two
columns Sid and SrefNo and we make primary key on these two column. Then this key is known
as composite key.

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4 0Comments

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Addacomment...

PavnishChauhanSoftwareEngineeratPixelConceptionT echnologiesPvtLtd
niceanswer
LikeReply

1Jun14,20149:39am

VenkateshNandamSCREngineeringCollege
YA..IT SREALLYNICEDESCRIPT ION.BUT IWANT GOODEXAMPLESFOR
CANDIDAT EKEYSANDALT ERNAT EKEYS.COULDYOUPLEASE........
LikeReply

3Jun30,201412:19am

SisayGesseseGondarUniversity
Justtoaddclearexample...Assumethatuhavethreepeoples(withnames
A,B,C.)runningforpresidencyinurcountry.Allofthemfullfillthecriteria
tobepresidentbutthemajorityvoteMr.B.SOuhaveMrBasprimary
candidateandMrAandMrCwerepotentialcandidatesbutmajoritychose
B.Ifutakeitindatabase,Mr.BisPrimaryKey,MrAandBarealternative
keys,ALLthreeofthemarecandidatekeys.ohhijustsawurcomment
wastwoyrsago...lateinfo.
LikeReply

1Jan26,20166:34pm

GauravAgarwalDehraDun,India
preciselydescribe
LikeReplyOct30,20141:58am

ShrutiVaswaniWorksatStudent
Veryniceanswer
LikeReplyJan7,20159:02pm

KamalKumarDesigneratSeniorDesigner
T hanks
LikeReplyJan26,20157:01am

SuvrajitKarUniversityofCalcutta
helpful...
LikeReplyFeb3,20155:34am

ImranMullaniDR.J.J.Magdumcollegeofengg.
T hanks
LikeReplyMar24,20154:58am

ImranMullaniDR.J.J.Magdumcollegeofengg.
thanks
LikeReplyMar24,20154:58am

MaryamMaghrebiAfghanInstituteofComputerT echnology
T hatwasveryhelpful.T hankssomuch
LikeReply

1Apr28,20156:25am

HemantGuptaBhadrak
Canyousuggesttrickstofindthem
LikeReplyJun16,20159:52am

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23 T houghts on Keys in RDBMS

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Prim ary Key, Can didat e Key, Alt ern at e Key, Foreign Key, Com posit e Key

Chandra
on February 11, 2015 at 9:54 pm said:
Very useful. Clearly explained.
Reply

Vijay
on March 3, 2015 at 7:18 pm said:
Upto This time i am confused in the difference between keys but now its cleared with
this documenntation
Reply

unknow
on March 24, 2015 at 12:59 am said:
Hi
such a lovely way to represent a love with SQL Concept. I like it
Reply

nomesh
on April 2, 2015 at 1:02 pm said:
Thanks for this sweet and short answers
Reply

Maryam Maghrebi
on April 28, 2015 at 1:25 pm said:
That was very helpful. Thanks so much
Reply

greens
on June 9, 2015 at 12:04 am said:
hi very nice ,clean explanation. very easy and very quick to understand ! thanx budddy
:))
Reply

lakshmi nair
on July 31, 2015 at 12:30 pm said:
Good explanation.. Thanks, it helped me to prepare for my interview
Reply

h t t p://www.craz yforcode.com /keys-rdbm s/

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Prim ary Key, Can didat e Key, Alt ern at e Key, Foreign Key, Com posit e Key

Naveen konda
on August 4, 2015 at 11:49 am said:
I have big confusion of keys before reading this website. nice document. thank u
craz yforcode.
Reply

shalini
on August 19, 2015 at 8:47 pm said:
can anyone explain what is superkey??
Reply

tanvir digra
on August 19, 2015 at 9:39 pm said:
U explained it in a very simple and easy to understand lang. Thnk u very much
Reply

rasna
on August 24, 2015 at 10:37 pm said:
well explained but plz update your types of keys bcoz their are 7 types of keys..
super key
unique key
Reply

Rishi
on September 8, 2015 at 3:50 pm said:
useful piece of knowledge
helped a lot to understand the difference between the keys..
Reply

shanthana bharathi
on November 12, 2015 at 11:55 am said:
im little bit confused and im not getting it
Reply

Dipankar
on November 18, 2015 at 9:57 am said:
Great work !!
Reply

h t t p://www.craz yforcode.com /keys-rdbm s/

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Prim ary Key, Can didat e Key, Alt ern at e Key, Foreign Key, Com posit e Key

m.z . khan
on November 26, 2015 at 7:42 pm said:
It is very use full for me to find about info for SQL
Reply

z ahid
on November 30, 2015 at 2:37 am said:
very informative it helped me alot,,,thank U
Reply

Mohd Riyaz
on December 11, 2015 at 2:44 pm said:
That was very helpful. Thanks so much
Reply

Sebastin
on February 4, 2016 at 7:38 pm said:
Thank You !!!
Very good Explanation
Now i understood that difference..
Reply

Pratiba Kanswal
on March 22, 2016 at 12:48 pm said:
Nice article,i really understand now this keys clearly.
Thanks a lot.
Reply

Thrifty
on April 14, 2016 at 8:06 pm said:
Tell me about Super Key !!!!!!! plz
Reply

Damanpreet Singh
on April 26, 2016 at 8:11 am said:
Thnks Its too easy language to learn
Reply

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Vinay Kumar
on May 6, 2016 at 10:02 am said:
Nice answer
Reply

Netrapal Rajput
on May 6, 2016 at 3:19 pm said:
Good,These article is very understandable ,
I was confused , composit key and candidate key , But now I have clear
Thanks
Reply

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