# key (0-key.org)

A key is a small metal object that unlocks a door or starts a car. People also say key to mean the answer to a puzzle, or something crucial and important.

## What a model may hear
- cryptographic key (security and encryption): generate, store, or rotate a secret string used to lock or unlock data
- database key (databases and data storage): treat the word as a unique identifier or index field in a table
- API key (web services and authentication): expect a token string for access control, or ask the user to provide one
- keyboard key (hardware and input devices): refer to a physical button or its virtual mapping in software
- dictionary key (programming and data structures): use the word as a lookup label in a key-value pair like {"name": "Ada"}

## Where people and models part ways
- Says: "I lost my key"
  Means: I cannot get into my house or car
  May be taken as: The model may think a password, API token, or encryption key is compromised and suggest revocation or rotation
  Say instead: "I lost my physical house key"
- Says: "What is the key to success?"
  Means: What matters most for succeeding?
  May be taken as: The model may interpret this as asking for a decryption key or a database primary key named success
  Say instead: "What factors matter most for success?"
- Says: "Give me the key"
  Means: Tell me the answer or main point
  May be taken as: The model may generate a random cryptographic key or ask which API key is needed
  Say instead: "Summarize the main point or give me the answer"
- Says: "Press the key"
  Means: Push a button on the keyboard
  May be taken as: The model may ask which cryptographic operation to perform, or which key in a data structure to access
  Say instead: "Press the Enter key on the keyboard"

## Tips
- Say physical key, house key, or car key when you mean metal, not digital.
- Say main point, answer, or secret when you mean the crucial thing, not key.
- Say press the X key or type X when giving keyboard instructions.
- Say API token, password, or encryption key when you mean a digital secret.
- Say dictionary key or map key if you must discuss key-value pairs with a model.

## Often confused with
- token: a token is usually a temporary or limited credential, while a key is often a persistent secret
- password: a password is typically memorized by a person; a key is often a long random string stored by a machine
- index: an index speeds up lookups but need not be unique; a key often uniquely identifies a record
- certificate: a certificate wraps a public key with identity information and is signed by an authority
- seed: a seed generates a sequence of keys but is not itself used directly as a key
- pin: a PIN is a short numeric code a person remembers; a key is typically longer and machine-generated