Question
Download Solution PDFAn alternate key in database table is also called
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 2 : Candidate key
Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFThe correct answer is Candidate key.
Key Points
- A candidate key is an attribute or a set of attributes that can uniquely identify a row in a table.
- It is an alternative to the primary key in the table.
- Each table can have multiple candidate keys, but only one primary key.
- Candidate keys must contain unique values and cannot contain NULL values.
- Examples of candidate keys include a combination of fields such as a person's social security number and email address.
Additional Information
- Candidate keys are essential in ensuring data integrity and preventing duplicate records in a database.
- While primary keys are often used as references for foreign keys, candidate keys provide flexibility in database design.
- In SQL, you can define candidate keys using unique constraints on the columns.
- Understanding candidate keys is crucial for database normalization and efficient query performance.