Find base base tables have a simple unique index (not associated with a constraint) that contains the column with the (case insensitive) name id and an integer type. In addition, the key values are generated automatically by the system by using a sequence generator.
Notes
The query does not take into account as to whether the table has any other declared key or unique index. The query considers a possibility that the key column may be declared based on a domain.
Type
Problem detection (Each row in the result could represent a flaw in the design)
Instead of unique index declare the primary key. Declare alternate keys in the table. Rename the key column - for instance according to the pattern "table_name"_id.
Data Source
INFORMATION_SCHEMA+system catalog
SQL Query
with simple_keys as (SELECT
n.nspname AS table_schema,
c2.relname AS table_name,
a.attname AS column_name
FROM
pg_catalog.pg_class AS c INNER JOIN pg_catalog.pg_index AS i ON i.indexrelid = c.oid
INNER JOIN pg_catalog.pg_class AS c2 ON i.indrelid = c2.oid
INNER JOIN pg_catalog.pg_namespace AS n ON c.relnamespace = n.oid
INNER JOIN pg_catalog.pg_authid AS u ON n.nspowner = u.oid
INNER JOIN pg_catalog.pg_attribute AS a ON a.attrelid = c.oid
WHERE c.relkind = 'i'
AND i.indisunique=TRUE
AND i.indnkeyatts=1
AND a.attnum>=1
AND a.attisdropped = FALSE
AND (n.nspname = 'public'
OR u.rolname <> 'postgres')
AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM pg_catalog.pg_constraint AS o WHERE o.conindid=i.indexrelid AND o.contype IN ('u','p')))
SELECT sk.table_schema, sk.table_name
FROM simple_keys AS sk INNER JOIN information_schema.columns c
USING (table_schema, table_name, column_name)
LEFT JOIN information_schema.domains d USING (domain_schema, domain_name)
INNER JOIN information_schema.schemata s
ON sk.table_schema=s.schema_name
WHERE (coalesce (c.column_default, d.domain_default) ILIKE '%nextval%' OR C.is_identity='YES')
AND (sk.table_schema = 'public' OR S.schema_owner<>'postgres')
AND Upper(sk.column_name)='ID'
AND c.data_type IN ('smallint','integer', 'bigint')
ORDER BY sk.table_schema, sk.table_name;
Collections
This query belongs to the following collections:
Name
Description
Find problems about names
A selection of queries that return information about the names of database objects. Contains all the types of queries - problem detection, software measure, and general overview.
Find problems automatically
Queries, that results point to problems in the database. Each query in the collection produces an initial assessment. However, a human reviewer has the final say as to whether there is a problem or not .
Categories
This query is classified under the following categories:
Name
Description
Database design antipatterns
Queries of this category provide information about possible occurrences of SQL database design antipatterns.
Naming
Queries of this category provide information about the style of naming.
Sequence generators
Queries of this category provide information about sequence generators and their usage.
Uniqueness
Queries of this category provide information about uniqueness constraints (PRIMARY KEY, UNIQUE, EXCLUDE) as well as unique indexes.
Further reading and related materials:
Reference
This is one of the antipatterns from the Bill Karwin's book of SQL antipatterns. See Chapter 4: ID Required.
Dintyala, P., Narechania, A., Arulraj, J.: SQLCheck: automated detection and diagnosis of SQL anti-patterns. In: 2020 ACM SIGMOD International Conference on Management of Data, pp. 2331–2345. (2020). https://doi.org/10.1145/3318464.3389754 (Generic primary key (ID, code))
Balogh, G., Gergely, T., Beszédes, Á., Szarka, A., Fábián, Z.: Capturing expert knowledge to guide data flow and structure analysis of large corporate databases. Acta Polytechnica Hungarica 16(4), 7–26 (2019). (Using monolithic primary keys)