Temporarily Disable a Foreign Key Constraint in MySQL

In MySQL, a foreign key is a relational constraint, which links two tables and uses a field (called referential integrity) to ensure information integrity. It establishes a correlation between the columns of a table called the referenced table or the parent table, and columns of another table called the child table or the referencing table.

They make sure that the lists of tables are always correct by requiring that the values on the foreign key columns of one table match the primary key columns of another table. Foreign key constraints act as a guard for maintaining data accuracy; there may be cases where we may need to disable them, e.g. during data migration or bulk data operations.

Syntax:

SET FOREIGN_KEY_CHECKS = 0;

Explanation: In the above syntax we are disabling the FOREIGN_KEY constraint by making it 0. This will apply to all the databases and tables. To enable the FOREIGN_KEY constraint again we will make it 1.

MySQL is a popular open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) that is uniquely used to construct expandable and high-productivity databases. MySQL, which was created by MySQL AB and later acquired by its current owner Oracle Corporation, was originally introduced in 1995.

MySQL is reputed for its sturdy and quick functioning attributes which involve easy-to-handle features and dependability. MySQL can normally be seen together with dynamic web applications and is generally used to serve languages such as PHP but also other server-side programming languages like Python.

In this article, you will discover how we can temporarily disable a foreign key constraint in MySQL along with some examples.