identificators

An identificator is a symbol or value used to uniquely identify an entity within a given context. The term is commonly used in computing and information systems as a synonym for identifier. An identificator must be unique within its scope and is often designed to be stable over time.

In programming languages, identifiers are names assigned to program elements such as variables, functions, classes, or modules. Rules for identifiers vary by language but typically include use of letters, digits, and underscores; they cannot begin with a digit; and they may be case-sensitive or case-insensitive. Identifiers must avoid reserved keywords.

In data management, an identificator commonly refers to a key or code that identifies a record. Primary keys guarantee uniqueness within a table; surrogate keys are system-generated identifiers; natural keys derive from real-world attributes. Universally unique identifiers (UUIDs) or globally unique identifiers (GUIDs) are used to avoid clashes across systems.

Formats and usage: identifiers can be numeric, alphanumeric, or token-based. They enable indexing, lookups, and linking across datasets, systems, and networks. In URLs, DOIs, and other identifiers, the form encodes metadata or provenance and must be stable for citation and retrieval.

Best practices: choose stable, non-guessable identifiers when privacy matters; prefer opaque tokens where possible; avoid exposing sequential IDs; ensure proper scoping; design migration paths when changing identifiers. Pitfalls include collisions, dependence on a single data source, and performance issues with very long identifiers.