Benefits of relationship classes

This topic applies to ArcGIS for Desktop Standard and ArcGIS for Desktop Advanced only.

Relationship classes in the geodatabase manage the associations between objects in one class (feature class or table) and objects in another. Objects at either end of the relationship can be features with geometry or records in a table.

Relationship classes manage the associations between objects in one feature class or table and objects in another.

Relationship classes support all cardinalities—one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many—and may have attributes about the relationship itself.

Relationship classes also provide many advanced capabilities not found in ArcMap joins and relates.

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2/10/2012