When you create a relationship between two tables, it is usually a good idea to enforce referential integrity. Referential integrity keeps data accurate and ensures that you don't accidentally change or delete related data in one table but not in the other.

Do I need referential integrity?

The importance of referential integrity

This concept should always be in our minds when we design a data model. It is the backbone of the data integrity in a data system. ... A foreign key of a reference table (data set, data entity) still has to refer to a valid row inand the referenced table.

What is the problem with referential integrity?

In simple terms, 'referential integrity' guarantees that the target 'referred' to will be found. A lack of referential integrity in a database can lead relational databases to return incomplete data, usually with no indication of an error.