Normalization is one of the best data formation of the Database. .

Normalization usually involves dividing large tables into smaller (and less redundant) tables and defining relationships between them. Normalization is the process of efficiently organizing data in a database. There are two goals of the normalization process: eliminating redundant data (for example, storing the same data in more than one table) and ensuring data dependencies make sense (only storing related data in a table). Both of these are worthy goals as they reduce the amount of space a database consumes and ensure that data is logically stored. Normalization is typically a refinement process after the initial exercise of identifying the data objects that should be in the database, identifying their relationships, and defining the tables required and the columns within each table. Normalization is a systematic way of ensuring that a database structure is suitable for general purpose queryingand free of certain undesirable characteristicsinsertion,update, and deletion anomalies that could lead to a loss ofdata integrity

There are three main normal forms, each with increasing levels of normalization:
y First Normal Form (1NF): Each field in a table contains different information. For example, in an employee list, each table would contain only one birthdate field. y Second Normal Form (2NF): Each field in a table that is not a determiner of the contents of another field must itself be a function of the other fields in the table. y Third Normal Form (3NF): No duplicate information is permitted. So, for example, if two tables both require a birthdate field, the birthdate information would be separated into a separate table, and the two other tables would then access the birthdate information via an index field in the birthdate table. Any change to a birthdate would automatically be reflect in all tables that link to the birthdate table.

First Normal Form (1NF)

First normal form (1NF) sets the very basic rules for an organized database:
y

Eliminate duplicative columns from the same table.

Create separate tables for each group of related data and identify each row with a unique column or set of columns (the primary key).

Second Normal Form (2NF)

Second normal form (2NF) further addresses the concept of removing duplicative data:
y y y

Meet all the requirements of the first normal form. Remove subsets of data that apply to multiple rows of a table and place them in separate tables. Create relationships between these new tables and their predecessors through the use of foreign keys.

For more details, read Putting your Database in Second Normal Form

Third Normal Form (3NF)

Third normal form (3NF) goes one large step further:
y y

Meet all the requirements of the second normal form. Remove columns that are not dependent upon the primary key.

For more details, read Putting your Database in Third Normal Form

Boyce-Codd Normal Form (BCNF or 3.5NF)

The Boyce-Codd Normal Form, also referred to as the "third and half (3.5) normal form", adds one more requirement:
y y

Meet all the requirements of the third normal form. Every determinant must be a candidate key.

For more details, read Putting your Database in Boyce Codd Normal Form

Fourth Normal Form (4NF)

Finally, fourth normal form (4NF) has one additional requirement:
y y

Meet all the requirements of the third normal form. A relation is in 4NF if it has no multi-valued dependencies.

Normalization degrees of relational database tables have been defined and include: First normal form (1NF). This is the "basic" level of normalization and generally corresponds to the definition of any database, namely:

y y y y

It contains two-dimensional tables with rows and columns. Each column corresponds to a sub-object or an attribute of the object represented by the entire table. Each row represents a unique instance of that sub-object or attribute and must be different in some way from any other row (that is, no duplicate rows are possible). All entries in any column must be of the same kind. For example, in the column labeled "Customer," only customer names or numbers are permitted.

Second normal form (2NF). At this level of normalization, each column in a table that is not a determiner of the contents of another column must itself be a function of the other columns in the table. For example, in a table with three columns containing customer ID, product sold, and price of the product when sold, the price would be a function of the customer ID (entitled to a discount) and the specific product. Third normal form (3NF). At the second normal form, modifications are still possible because a change to one row in a table may affect data that refers to this information from another table. For example, using the customer table just cited, removing a row describing a customer purchase (because of a return perhaps) will also remove the fact that the product has a certain price. In the third normal form, these tables would be divided into two tables so that product pricing would be tracked separately.

Normalization degrees of relational database tables have been defined and include: First normal form (1NF). This is the "basic" level of normalization and generally corresponds to the definition of any database, namely:
y y y y

It contains two-dimensional tables with rows and columns. Each column corresponds to a sub-object or an attribute of the object represented by the entire table. Each row represents a unique instance of that sub-object or attribute and must be different in some way from any other row (that is, no duplicate rows are possible). All entries in any column must be of the same kind. For example, in the column labeled "Customer," only customer names or numbers are permitted.

Second normal form (2NF). At this level of normalization, each column in a table that is not a determiner of the contents of another column must itself be a function of the other columns in the table. For example, in a table with three columns containing customer ID, product sold, and price of the product when sold, the price would be a function of the customer ID (entitled to a discount) and the specific product. Third normal form (3NF). At the second normal form, modifications are still possible because a change to one row in a table may affect data that refers to this information from another table.

For example, using the customer table just cited, removing a row describing a customer purchase (because of a return perhaps) will also remove the fact that the product has a certain price. In the third normal form, these tables would be divided into two tables so that product pricing would be tracked separately.