key
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
“I lost my key”
Meant: 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”
“What is the key to success?”
Meant: 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?”
“Give me the key”
Meant: 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”
“Press the key”
Meant: 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