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docs: primary-key

Signed-off-by: Raju Udava <86527202+dstala@users.noreply.github.com>
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Raju Udava 2 years ago
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      packages/noco-docs/content/en/setup-and-usages/primary-key.md

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packages/noco-docs/content/en/setup-and-usages/primary-key.md

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---
title: "Primary Key"
description: "Primary Key"
position: 574
category: "Product"
menuTitle: "Primary Key"
---
## What is a Primary Key ?
- Key in a relational database table that is unique for each record
## What is the use of Primary Key ?
- As it uniquely identifies an individual record of a table, it is used internally by NocoDB for all operations associated with a record
## Primary Key in NocoDB
- Primary Key that gets defined / used in NocoDB depends on how underlying table was created. Summary is captured below
1. From UI, Create new table / Import from Excel / Import from CSV
1. An `ID` [datatype: Integer] system field created by default during table creation is used as primary key
2. Additional system fields `created-at`, `updated-at` are inserted by default & can be omitted optionally; these fields can be deleted after table creation
2. Connect to existing external database
1. Existing `primary key` field defined for a table is retained as is; NocoDB doesn't insert a new ID field
2. Additional system fields `created-at`, `updated-at` are not inserted by default
3. Import from Airtable
1. Airtable record ID is marked as primary key for imported records, and is mapped to field `ncRecordId` [datatype: varchar]
2. If a new record is inserted after migration & if ncRecordId field was omitted during record insertion - auto generated string will be inserted by NocoDB
3. Computed hash value for the entire record is stored in system field `ncRecordHash`
4. Additional system fields `created-at`, `updated-at` are not inserted by default
4. Create new table using SDK / API
1. No default primary key field is introduced by NocoDB. It has to be explicitly specified during table creation (using attribute `pk: true`)
## What if Primary Key was missing?
It is possible to have a table without any primary key.
- External database table can be created without primary key configuration.
- New table can be created using SDK / API without primary key
In such scenario's, new records can be created in NocoDB for this table, but records can't be updated or deleted [as there is now way for NocoDB to uniquely identify these records]
#### Example : Primary Key & optional system fields during new table creation
#### Example : Show System Fields
## Can I change the Primary Key to another column within tables ?
- You can't update Primary Key from NocoDB UI. You can reconfigure it at database level directly & trigger `metasync` explicitly
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