Persistent object identifier
unique identifier immune to changes in the form or meaning of business data
In database design, a persistent object identifier (POID) is a unique identifier of a record on a table, used as the primary key. Important characteristics of a POID are that it does not carry business information and are not generally exported or otherwise made visible to data users; as such a POID has many of the characteristics of a surrogate key. The only purpose of the POID is to act as the primary key on the table where it is defined and to be referenced as the foreign key by other tables. Because POIDs, like surrogate keys, do not carry business information, they are immune to changes in the form or meaning of business data. It can therefore make it easier to maintain relations between objects and make queries simpler.
See also
Natural key
Primary key
Surrogate key
Unique key
Object identifier
References
External links
Persistent Object ID Service
What is a Persistent Object Identifier and why should I care?
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Persistent object identifier” is unique identifier immune to changes in the form or meaning of business data. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Persistent, object and identifier, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “unique identifier immune to changes in the form or meaning of business data” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Apr 28, 2024. The linked authority identifier is Q7170400. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Persistent object identifier”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Persistent object identifier primary sources, Persistent object identifier archive and Persistent research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Persistent object identifier”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Persistent object identifier” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.