Definition: Referential integrity

Category: Memobust Glossary

In a relational database, this is the basic principle that is required for internal consistency of the different tables in that database. This means that a table always has a key if it is referenced by another table in a key field, possibly a foreign key field. Database systems guarantee consistency and ensure that a transaction that violates the consistency cannot be performed. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/cros/content/memobust-glossary-pdf-file_en