Normalization

• A large database defined as a single relation may result in data

duplication. This repetition of data may result in:
• Making relations very large.
• It isn't easy to maintain and update data as it would involve searching
many records in relation.
• Wastage and poor utilization of disk space and resources.
• The likelihood of errors and inconsistencies increases.
• So to handle these problems, we should analyze and decompose the
relations with redundant data into smaller, simpler, and well-structured
relations that are satisfy desirable properties. Normalization is a process
of decomposing the relations into relations with fewer attributes.
What is Normalization?
• Normalization is the process of organizing the data in the database.
• Normalization is used to minimize the redundancy from a relation or set of
relations. It is also used to eliminate undesirable characteristics like Insertion,
Update, and Deletion Anomalies.
• Normalization divides the larger table into smaller and links them using
relationships.
• The normal form is used to reduce redundancy from the database table.
• Why do we need Normalization?
• The main reason for normalizing the relations is removing these anomalies.
Failure to eliminate anomalies leads to data redundancy and can cause data
integrity and other problems as the database grows. Normalization consists of a
series of guidelines that helps to guide you in creating a good database structure.
Data modification anomalies can be categorized into three types:
• Insertion Anomaly: Insertion Anomaly refers to when one cannot
insert a new tuple into a relationship due to lack of data.
• Deletion Anomaly: The delete anomaly refers to the situation where
the deletion of data results in the unintended loss of some other
important data.
• Updatation Anomaly: The update anomaly is when an update of a
single data value requires multiple rows of data to be updated.
Types of Normal Forms:
• Normalization works through a series of stages called Normal forms.
The normal forms apply to individual relations. The relation is said to
be in particular normal form if it satisfies constraints.
Advantages of Normalization

• Normalization helps to minimize data redundancy.

• Greater overall database organization.
• Data consistency within the database.
• Much more flexible database design.
• Enforces the concept of relational integrity.
Disadvantages of Normalization
• You cannot start building the database before knowing what the user
needs.
• The performance degrades when normalizing the relations to higher
normal forms, i.e., 4NF, 5NF.
• It is very time-consuming and difficult to normalize relations of a
higher degree.
• Careless decomposition may lead to a bad database design, leading to
serious problems.
First Normal Form (1NF)
• A relation will be 1NF if it contains an atomic value.
• It states that an attribute of a table cannot hold multiple values. It
must hold only single-valued attribute.
• First normal form disallows the multi-valued attribute, composite
attribute, and their combinations.
• Example: Relation EMPLOYEE is not in 1NF because of multi-valued
attribute EMP_PHONE.
Second Normal Form (2NF)

• In the 2NF, relational must be in 1NF.

• In the second normal form, all non-key attributes are fully functional
dependent on the primary key
• Example: Let's assume, a school can store the data of teachers and
the subjects they teach. In a school, a teacher can teach more than
one subject.
Third Normal Form (3NF)
• A relation will be in 3NF if it is in 2NF and not contain any transitive
partial dependency.
• 3NF is used to reduce the data duplication. It is also used to achieve
the data integrity.
• If there is no transitive dependency for non-prime attributes, then the
relation must be in third normal form.
• A relation is in third normal form if it holds atleast one of the
following conditions for every non-trivial function dependency X → Y.
• X is a super key.
• Y is a prime attribute, i.e., each element of Y is part of some candidate
key.
• Super key in the table above:
• {EMP_ID}, {EMP_ID, EMP_NAME}, {EMP_ID, EMP_NAME, EMP_ZIP}....
so on  
• Candidate key: {EMP_ID}
• Non-prime attributes: In the given table, all attributes except EMP_ID
are non-prime.
• Here, EMP_STATE & EMP_CITY dependent on EMP_ZIP and EMP_ZIP
dependent on EMP_ID.
• The non-prime attributes (EMP_STATE, EMP_CITY) transitively
dependent on super key(EMP_ID).
• It violates the rule of third normal form.
• That's why we need to move the EMP_CITY and EMP_STATE to the
new <EMPLOYEE_ZIP> table, with EMP_ZIP as a Primary key.