Hey, have you ever stopped to think about sequential primary keys in data models? I know I haven’t, until recently. It’s easy to assume they’re not useful because data can change or be deleted, disrupting the order. But, I realized that they must exist for a reason.
Every time I see data models, they almost always use a surrogate key created by concatenating unique field combinations or applying a hash function. But, what about sequential primary keys? Are they really that useless?
It turns out, sequential primary keys do have their use cases. For instance, in systems where data is mostly append-only, like logging systems or financial transactions, sequential primary keys can be very useful. They provide a straightforward way to identify the order of events or transactions.
Another use case is when you need to maintain a hierarchical structure, like a threaded conversation or a nested comment system. Sequential primary keys can help you maintain the order and hierarchy of the data.
Additionally, sequential primary keys can be beneficial in systems where data is mostly read-only, like an archival system or a data warehouse. In these cases, the sequential primary key can serve as a unique identifier for each record.
So, the next time you’re designing a data model, don’t dismiss sequential primary keys just yet. They might be more useful than you think.
What are your thoughts on sequential primary keys? Do you have any use cases to share?