What effect does defining a foreign key dependency in the ABAP dictionary have?

Defining a foreign key dependency in the ABAP dictionary primarily focuses on maintaining relational integrity between different database tables. The correct outcome of establishing such a dependency is that it ensures enforced data consistency at the database level. This means that any insertions, updates, or deletions performed on the database will adhere to the defined relationships between the tables, preventing orphaned records and ensuring that any references to keys are valid.

The foreign key dependency automatically creates rules for the data integrity of the associated tables, which are enforced at the database level. This aspect is essential for maintaining the integrity of data across related entities in a system, allowing for robust database design and error handling.

While input checks may occur in user dialogues and applications, the primary function of defining foreign key dependencies is to ensure that the database maintains the correct relationships between data elements, which contributes significantly to overall application reliability and data consistency.