Keys and superkeys

Introduction to Relational Databases in SQL

Timo Grossenbacher

Data Journalist

The current database model

The database model with primary keys

What is a key?

Attribute(s) that identify a record uniquely
As long as attributes can be removed: superkey
If no more attributes can be removed: minimal superkey or key

     license_no     | serial_no |    make    |  model  | year
 -------------------+-----------+------------+---------+------
 Texas ABC-739      | A69352    | Ford       | Mustang |    2
 Florida TVP-347    | B43696    | Oldsmobile | Cutlass |    5
 New York MPO-22    | X83554    | Oldsmobile | Delta   |    1
 California 432-TFY | C43742    | Mercedes   | 190-D   |   99
 California RSK-629 | Y82935    | Toyota     | Camry   |    4
 Texas RSK-629      | U028365   | Jaguar     | XJS     |    4

SK1 = {license_no, serial_no, make, model, year}

SK2 = {license_no, serial_no, make, model}

SK3 = {make, model, year}, SK4 = {license_no, serial_no}, SKi, ..., SKn

Adapted from Elmasri, Navathe (2011): Fundamentals of Database Systems, 6th Ed., Pearson

     license_no     | serial_no |    make    |  model  | year
 -------------------+-----------+------------+---------+------
 Texas ABC-739      | A69352    | Ford       | Mustang |    2
 Florida TVP-347    | B43696    | Oldsmobile | Cutlass |    5
 New York MPO-22    | X83554    | Oldsmobile | Delta   |    1
 California 432-TFY | C43742    | Mercedes   | 190-D   |   99
 California RSK-629 | Y82935    | Toyota     | Camry   |    4
 Texas RSK-629      | U028365   | Jaguar     | XJS     |    4

K1 = {license_no}; K2 = {serial_no}; K3 = {model}; K4 = {make, year}

K1 to 3 only consist of one attribute
Removing either "make" or "year" from K4 would result in duplicates
Only one candidate key can be the chosen key

Let's discover some keys!

Introduction to Relational Databases in SQL