getKey
GetKey is a common term in software development referring to a function or method that retrieves the key associated with a data item. The key is typically the identifier used to index into a map, dictionary, database record, or other keyed structures. A getKey function usually has a signature like getKey(item) -> Key, where Key is the type of the key extracted from the item.
In practice, getKey is used to derive or extract a key from more complex objects. This makes
Examples vary by language. In JavaScript, a getKey function might return a unique identifier from an object,
Design considerations include ensuring key stability and uniqueness, handling nulls or missing fields, and balancing performance