Normalization is a systematic approach used in database design to eliminate redundancy and ensure data integrity. The process involves organizing data into separate tables based on logical relationships, which helps minimize data duplication and maintains consistency across the database. Normalization typically follows several stages, known as normal forms, each with specific rules that dictate how to structure the data.
- The first normal form (1NF) addresses the elimination of repeating groups
- The second normal form (2NF) requires that all non-key attributes depend on the entire primary key
- The third normal form (3NF) mandates that non-key attributes are not dependent on other non-key attributes.
By normalizing a database, organizations can improve data quality, simplify maintenance, and enhance query performance, while ensuring that updates and deletions do not lead to anomalies or data inconsistencies.