List foreign keys in SQL Server database

Query below returns foreign key constrants defined in a database.

Check out this summary article of FK queries for SQL Server.

Query

select schema_name(fk_tab.schema_id) + '.' + fk_tab.name as foreign_table,
    '>-' as rel,
    schema_name(pk_tab.schema_id) + '.' + pk_tab.name as primary_table,
    substring(column_names, 1, len(column_names)-1) as [fk_columns],
    fk.name as fk_constraint_name
from sys.foreign_keys fk
    inner join sys.tables fk_tab
        on fk_tab.object_id = fk.parent_object_id
    inner join sys.tables pk_tab
        on pk_tab.object_id = fk.referenced_object_id
    cross apply (select col.[name] + ', '
                    from sys.foreign_key_columns fk_c
                        inner join sys.columns col
                            on fk_c.parent_object_id = col.object_id
                            and fk_c.parent_column_id = col.column_id
                    where fk_c.parent_object_id = fk_tab.object_id
                      and fk_c.constraint_object_id = fk.object_id
                            order by col.column_id
                            for xml path ('') ) D (column_names)
order by schema_name(fk_tab.schema_id) + '.' + fk_tab.name,
    schema_name(pk_tab.schema_id) + '.' + pk_tab.name

Columns

  • foreign_table - foreign table name with schema name
  • rel - relationship symbol implicating direction
  • primary_table - primary (rerefenced) table name with schema name
  • fk_columns - list of FK colum names, separated with ","
  • fk_constraint_name - foreign key constraint name

Rows

  • One row represents one foreign key. If foreign key consists of multiple columns (composite key) it is still represented as one row.
  • Scope of rows: all foregin keys in a database
  • Ordered by foreign table schema name and table name

Sample results

Foreign keys in AdventureWorks database:

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