identifiersare

The term identifiersare (as written here) is not a standard designation in information technology. This article uses identifiersare as a conceptual heading to discuss identifiers—the elements that designate identity for objects, records, or resources in information systems.

An identifier is a name or symbol assigned to reference an entity. In programming, identifiers label variables, functions, types, and modules. In databases, identifiers identify tables, columns, and rows via keys or constraints. In networks and web services, identifiers include URIs, DOIs, GUIDs, and usernames.

Common properties include uniqueness, stability, and resolvability. Uniqueness ensures each entity has a single identifier within a scope; stability refers to long-term persistence; resolvability allows the identifier to be translated into the entity or its location. Some identifiers are opaque, carrying little inherent meaning; others are meaningful and mnemonic.

Design considerations include following domain-specific conventions, validating formats, and avoiding exposure of sensitive data in identifiers. They should be chosen to endure changes in the underlying data model, and to minimize collisions across systems. Practical guidelines include documenting rules, using consistent naming schemes, and applying normalization when needed.

Common examples illustrate the concept: a variable named totalRevenue, a database primary key like 1023, and a URL such as https://example.org/resource/abc123. In distributed systems, globally unique identifiers such as UUIDs are often used to ensure cross-system compatibility.