What is SQL Normalization and Denormalization?

SQL Normalization

Normalization in SQL is a database design technique that organizes tables in a manner that reduces redundancy and dependency. It involves dividing a database into two or more tables and defining relationships between them to achieve a more efficient database structure.

Characteristics

• Reduces Redundancy: Avoids duplication of data.
• Improves Data Integrity: Ensures data accuracy and consistency.
• Database Design: Involves creating tables and establishing relationships through primary and foreign keys.

Example: Customer Orders Database

Original Table (Before Normalization)

Imagine a single table that stores all customer orders:

This table has redundancy (notice how customer details are repeated) and is not normalized.

After Normalization

To normalize this, we would split it into two or more tables to reduce redundancy.

Customers Table (1NF, 2NF, 3NF)

Orders Table (1NF, 2NF, 3NF)

In the normalized structure, we've eliminated redundancy (each customer's details are listed only once) and established a relationship between the two tables via CustomerID.

Levels (Normal Forms)

• 1NF (First Normal Form): Data is stored in atomic form with no repeating groups.
• 2NF (Second Normal Form): Meets 1NF and has no partial dependency on any candidate key.
• 3NF (Third Normal Form): Meets 2NF and has no transitive dependency.

Use Cases

• Ideal for complex systems where data integrity is critical, like financial or enterprise applications.

SQL Denormalization

Denormalization, on the other hand, is the process of combining tables to reduce the complexity of database queries. This can introduce redundancy but may lead to improved performance by reducing the number of joins required.

Characteristics

• Increases Redundancy: May involve some data duplication.
• Improves Query Performance: Reduces the complexity of queries by reducing the number of joins.
• Data Retrieval: Optimized for read-heavy operations.

Denormalization Example

Denormalization would involve combining these tables back into a single table to optimize read performance. Taking the above table:

Denormalized Orders Table

Here, we're back to the original structure. The benefit of this denormalized table is that it can make queries faster since all the information is in one place, reducing the need for JOIN operations. However, the downside is the redundancy of customer information, which can take up more space and potentially lead to inconsistencies if not managed properly.

When to Use

• In read-heavy database systems where query performance is a priority.
• In systems where data changes are infrequent and a slightly less normalized structure doesn't compromise data integrity.

Key Differences

1. Purpose

• Normalization aims to minimize data redundancy and improve data integrity.
• Denormalization aims to improve query performance.

2. Data Redundancy

• Normalization reduces redundancy.
• Denormalization may introduce redundancy.

3. Performance

• Normalization can lead to a larger number of tables and more complex queries, potentially affecting read performance.
• Denormalization can improve read performance but may affect write performance due to data redundancy.

4. Complexity

Normalization makes writes faster but reads slower whereas denormalization makes writes slower but reads faster. Lets understand this with an example.

Normalization

Imagine you run a bookstore, and you store all the info about customers and orders in a neat way. Instead of writing a customer's name, address, and phone number every time they order something, you just save it once in a "customer" list. When someone orders a book, you only link to their entry in the customer list.

• Effect on Write Operations: When you write data (like adding a new order), you only store the order info, not all the customer info. This makes writing faster and easier because there’s no duplicate info.

• Effect on Read Operations: But when you read the data, it takes more work. If you want to see everything about an order and the customer who made it, you have to look in multiple places (one for the order, one for the customer details). So, reads can be slower because the database has to gather info from different tables.

Denormalization

Now, imagine you’re tired of looking in different places to find info about an order. You decide to save everything in one place: each order will have the customer's name, address, and phone number. No more linking back to a customer list!

• Effect on Write Operations: Writing gets more complicated and slower. If a customer changes their address, you now have to update every single order that includes the old address. There’s a lot of duplicate data, and changes require updating multiple records.

• Effect on Read Operations: But reading becomes much faster! Since all the information is in one place, you don’t have to jump around to gather it. You get everything you need in one go, so reads are quick and easy.

Conclusion

• Normalization is about reducing redundancy and improving data integrity but can lead to more complex queries.
• Denormalization simplifies queries but at the cost of increased data redundancy and potential maintenance challenges.

The choice between the two depends on the specific requirements of your database system, considering factors like the frequency of read vs. write operations, and the importance of query performance vs. data integrity.