Frequently Asked Questions on Composite Key Attributes

What are Composite key attributes?

Composite key attributes are the combination of two or more attributes that together used to uniquely identify a record in a table. Unlike simple key attributes which use a single key to identify a record, composite key attributes use multiple attributes. These are useful in cases where no single attribute can uniquely identify a record.

Why Composite Key attributes are used in DBMS?

These are useful when a single attribute is not sufficient to uniquely identify a record in a table. They help to maintain the uniqueness and integrity of data by combining multiple attributes to form a single key attribute.

What are Advantages of Composite Key attributes?

Composite key attributes enhances efficiency and reliability of database by ensuring that each record is uniquely identified using multiple attributes. These are mainly useful in cases where a single attribute cannot uniquely identify a record in a table. They help to maintain the data integrity and support complex relationships.

Are there any Drawbacks of using composite key attributes?

The major drawback of using composite key attributes is increased complexity in querying and indexing as it involves multiple attributes. As we have seen in above example to fetch student address separately, we need to write very complex query. Moreover, maintaining and updating composite key attributes can be more complex as compared to single key attributes.

In DBMS (Database Management System), keys are fundamental to maintaining the integrity and efficiency of the data. Among various types of keys, composite keys play an important role mainly when a single attribute is not sufficient to answer or identify a record. In this article, we will discuss in detail about Composite key attributes in DBMS.