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KeySchemaElement

Structure Class

KeySchemaElement dataclass

Represents a single element of a key schema. A key schema specifies the attributes that make up the primary key of a table, or the key attributes of an index.

A KeySchemaElement represents exactly one attribute of the primary key. For example, a simple primary key would be represented by one KeySchemaElement (for the partition key). A composite primary key would require one KeySchemaElement for the partition key, and another KeySchemaElement for the sort key.

A KeySchemaElement must be a scalar, top-level attribute (not a nested attribute). The data type must be one of String, Number, or Binary. The attribute cannot be nested within a List or a Map.

Attributes

attribute_name instance-attribute 
attribute_name: str

The name of a key attribute.

key_type instance-attribute 
key_type: KeyType

The role that this key attribute will assume:

  • HASH - partition key

  • RANGE - sort key

Note

The partition key of an item is also known as its hash attribute. The term "hash attribute" derives from DynamoDB's usage of an internal hash function to evenly distribute data items across partitions, based on their partition key values.

The sort key of an item is also known as its range attribute. The term "range attribute" derives from the way DynamoDB stores items with the same partition key physically close together, in sorted order by the sort key value.