Friday, September 8, 2017

SQL Server - Dropping Primary Key will drop the Clustered Index?

Everyone knows that SQL Server creates a Clustered Index when we add a Primary Key if there is no Clustered Index already exist in the table. It adds a Non-Clustered Key for the Primary Key if we have already added a Clustered Index. However they are two different objects; one is a Constraint and other is an Index. What if I drop one object? Will it drop the other as well?

Let's make a test and see. If I create a table Customer like below, making Customer Key as the Primary Key;


As you see, it will create both Key and the Index.


Now if I drop either one, it will drop the other one as well. For an example, if I drop the Primary Key, it will drop the Index as well.

If I need to make sure that it does not happen, I can create them separately, first create the Clustered Index on CustomerKey and then make the CustomerKey as the Primary Key. However, that will add another index specifically for the Primary Key.


The reason for above behavior is, Primary Key needs an Index. It is always associated with an index therefor if one is getting dropped, the associate also getting dropped.


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