Super key(What is super key in DBMS) is the combination of one or more attributes to uniquely identify a tuple. For example, we have a student table with attributes (stu_rollno., stu_name, stu_add, stu_branch, stu_Aadharno.)
Within this blog(What is super key in DBMS), we will explore What is the super key in DBMS. What is the primary key and super key? What are the super key and candidate key for example?….
…. What is the candidate key in DBMS, Primary key in DBMS, Super key and candidate key, Alternate key in DBMS, Candidate key in DBMS with example|What is super key in DBMS|
Before we go into the deep discussion for the Super key let’s see some basic questions and answers related to keys in DBMS, it will help you to understand the super key in a better manner|What is the super key in DBMS|
What is the primary key and super key?
The primary key is a column or set of columns in a table that can identify all the details of the complete row or tuple uniquely. Whereas the Super key is a set of one or more columns that can identify the tuple value uniquely.
What is the super key and candidate key with an example?
The super key is the set of one or more columns or attributes that can identify the whole tuple or row value uniquely.
Whereas the candidate key is also a set of one or more columns or attributes that can identify the tuple value uniquely, here column value or attribute value is not redundant.
A super key may or may not be a candidate key, but all the candidate keys are super keys. So we can say that the super key is the superset of candidate keys.
What is an alternate key in DBMS?
A key other than a primary key is considered the alternate key. For example, in a student table, we have two candidate keys like student roll no.
And student phone number, if we will consider student roll no. as a primary key then in this scenario student phone number will be the alternate key of this relation.
Here we can have several sets of a superkey as given below.
stu_rollno. + stu_name
stu_rollno. + stu_name + stu_branch
stu_Aadharno. + stu_name
stu_rollno. + Stu_Aadhar
stu_Aadharno. + stu_name + stu_branch
stu_rollno. + stu_name + stu_add
These were a few combinations of superkey that can identify the tuple value obsoletely.
However, stu_rollno. and stu_Aadharno is also a candidate key that is capable of fetching the tuple value uniquely. So stu_rollno. and stu_Aadhar will be a minimal superkey that can easily identify the whole tuple value.
See, below another example for the same.
So, here we can say that super is key is the strong combination of attributes that provide a guarantee to provide the unique tuple value.
The super key is different from the composite key. If in a case we don’t have any candidate key in our relationship then the combination of a possible attribute that can uniquely identify a tuple value is known as a composite key.
You can also go through a few more amazing blog links related to DBMS below:
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What is a candidate key in DBMS…
What is Key in DBMS…
BCNF – Boyce Codd Normal Form…
3NF – Third normal form…
2NF – Second Normal Form…
What is1NF(First Normal Form)…
What is normalization with an example…
What do you mean by distributed DBMS and what are its types…
What is DBMS ARCHITECTURE…
DBMS vs RDBMS: What is the main difference between DBMS and RDBMS…
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Integrity constraints in DBMS…
Conclusion:
The super key is the strong key which assures a guarantee to identify the tuple uniquely. Let’s have a relation between one candidate’s key with some other attributes that are not a key. Then a super key can be all possible combinations of the candidate key with the other attributes of the relation|What is a super key in DBMS|
Within this blog post(What is super key in DBMS), we have gone through What is the super key in DBMS? Where is the super key in the database? What is the primary key and super key? What is the super key and candidate key with an example? What is the candidate key in DBMS, Primary key in DBMS, Super key and candidate key, Alternate key in DBMS, and Candidate key in DBMS with example
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