Normalisatiepaden

Normalisatiepaden, also known as normalization paths, are a concept in database design that aims to eliminate redundancy and ensure data integrity. The process involves organizing data into tables and establishing relationships between them. This is achieved through a series of steps, known as normal forms, each of which addresses specific types of redundancy and dependency.

The first normal form (1NF) requires that each table contains only atomic (indivisible) values and that each column contains values of a single type. This eliminates repeating groups and ensures that each piece of data is stored in a single place.

The second normal form (2NF) builds upon 1NF by ensuring that all non-key attributes are fully functionally dependent on the primary key. This means that each non-key attribute must depend on the entire primary key, not just part of it.

The third normal form (3NF) further refines the design by eliminating transitive dependencies. This means that non-key attributes should not depend on other non-key attributes. Instead, they should depend only on the primary key.

Beyond 3NF, there are additional normal forms such as Boyce-Codd Normal Form (BCNF) and Fourth Normal Form (4NF), which address more complex dependencies and relationships. BCNF ensures that every determinant is a candidate key, while 4NF deals with multi-valued dependencies.

Normalization is a crucial step in database design, as it helps to maintain data integrity, reduce redundancy, and improve data consistency. However, it's important to note that excessive normalization can lead to a large number of tables and complex queries, which can impact performance. Therefore, the level of normalization should be balanced according to the specific needs and constraints of the database system.