The column (field) in a relational database that uniquely identifies the row in the table. For example, account number is often a primary key. A "composite primary key" or "super key" is made up ...

By definition, a relational database must contain normalized tables, and to be properly normalized, a table must contain a primary key. Database developers often disagree about whether it’s ...

The meaning of a fact table, ideally, should be evident based on the table name and the composition of the fact table’s primary key. Deciding on a primary key for a fact table is an important choice.

The best way to protect your entire database, not just your primary key values, is to back it up regularly. Natural data isn’t any more dependable than a system-generated value. 10: ...