Normalization of Database

Normal Forms
Normal forms are used for the process of normalization of data and therefore for the
database design. In theory, there are at least five different normal forms, of which the
first three are the most important for practical use. The third normal form for a table
can be achieved by testing the first and second normal forms at the intermediate states,
and as such, the goal of good database design can usually be fulfilled if all tables of a
database are in the third normal form.

First Normal Form
First normal form (1NF) means that a table has no multivalued attributes or composite
attributes. (A composite attribute contains other attributes and can therefore be divided
into smaller parts.) All relational tables are by definition in 1NF, because the value of
any column in a row must be atomic—that is, single valued.

Second Normal Form
A table is in second normal form (2NF) if it is in 1NF and there is no nonkey column
dependent on a partial primary key of that table. This means if (A,B) is a combination
of two table columns building the key, then there is no column of the table depending
either on only A or only B.

Third Normal Form
A table is in third normal form (3NF) if it is in 2NF and there are no functional
dependencies between nonkey columns.