character key

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
key
character key

   1. <database> A value used to identify a {record} in a
   database, derived by applying some fixed function to the
   record.  The key is often simply one of the {fields} (a
   {column} if the database is considered as a table with records
   being rows, see "{key field}").  Alternatively the key may be
   obtained by applying some function, e.g. a {hash function}, to
   one or more of the fields.  The set of keys for all records
   forms an {index}.  Multiple indexes may be built for one
   database depending on how it is to be searched.

   2. <cryptography> A value which must be fed into the
   {algorithm} used to decode an encrypted message in order to
   reproduce the original {plain text}.  Some encryption schemes
   use the same (secret) key to encrypt and decrypt a message,
   but {public key encryption} uses a "private" (secret) key and
   a "public" key which is known by all parties.

   3. <hardware> An electromechanical {keyboard} button.

   (2003-07-04)