mysql column naming conventions for foreign keys Lately I've been thinking about what's a better name for foreign keys, either user_id, or id_user style.

Personally I think id_user style is better for handling within database (db queries) where it's clear from the first three characters that the column is containing ID.

On the other hand I find user_id style more suitable e.g. with use of HTML autocomplete fields where there are two input fields; one name="user" for text, the other name="user_id" for his ID; which makes it easier to recognize that they belong to each other because they both start their name by defining what the content will be about.

What do you think?
I prefer user_id but I think it doesn't really matter as long as you stay consistent and not mix them up so you keep your overview structured and readable.