TableBkey

TableBkey is a term used in database design to denote a key associated with a table named TableB. In many schemas,TableBkey serves as the primary key of TableB, uniquely identifying each row, and it may also be used as a foreign key in other tables to establish a relationship with TableB. As with keys in relational databases, TableBkey must be unique for each row and, when used as a primary key, not allow null values.

Common data types for TableBkey include integers, character-based identifiers, or globally unique identifiers (GUIDs/UUIDs). An auto-incrementing integer is a common surrogate for a natural key, while UUIDs are often chosen for distributed systems or where record creation occurs across multiple nodes. TableBkey can be a simple single-column key or a composite key consisting of multiple columns that together ensure uniqueness. When it is composite, each component contributes to the key’s overall uniqueness and integrity.

In practice, TableA or other tables may contain a column named TableBkey that serves as a foreign key referencing TableB(TableBkey). This enables joins between TableA and TableB, enforces referential integrity, and supports queries that retrieve related data efficiently.

Design notes: designers may choose surrogate keys like TableBkey to avoid changes caused by evolving natural keys, or they may use natural keys if a stable, already-unique attribute exists. The term TableBkey is not a standardized convention, but it illustrates how a key associated with TableB functions within relational modeling.