viiteobjekti

viiteobjekti is a Finnish term that translates to "reference object" or "reference entity." In software development and database design, it often refers to a placeholder or an identifier used to represent a real object or entity without containing the full details of that object. This is commonly seen in systems where relationships between different data points are managed.

The purpose of a viiteobjekti is to establish a link or a connection. Instead of embedding a large or complex object directly into another object, a viiteobjekti stores a unique identifier, such as a primary key or a URI, that points to the actual object elsewhere. This approach helps in managing data efficiently, reducing redundancy, and ensuring data integrity. For example, in an e-commerce system, an order might contain viiteobjektit for the customer and the products ordered. These viiteobjektit would hold the IDs of the customer and product records, rather than copying all customer details or product specifications into the order itself.

This concept is fundamental in relational databases, where foreign keys act as viiteobjektit, linking records in one table to records in another. It also appears in object-oriented programming, where references or pointers serve a similar function. The use of viiteobjekti allows for flexible data structures and efficient querying, as systems can retrieve the full object details only when they are explicitly needed.