What is the process of converting an unnormalized database to a normalized database?

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What is the process of converting an unnormalized database to a normalized database?

The process of converting an unnormalized database to a normalized database is known as database normalization. It involves a series of steps to eliminate data redundancy and improve data integrity and efficiency in the database.

The process typically includes the following steps:

1. Identify the functional dependencies: Analyze the data and identify the functional dependencies between attributes. This helps in understanding the relationships between different data elements.

2. Define the primary key: Determine the primary key for each table in the database. The primary key uniquely identifies each record in the table.

3. Eliminate repeating groups: Identify any repeating groups within a table and remove them by creating separate tables for those groups. This helps in reducing data redundancy.

4. Remove partial dependencies: Analyze the dependencies between non-key attributes and eliminate any partial dependencies. This is done by creating separate tables for the dependent attributes.

5. Eliminate transitive dependencies: Identify any transitive dependencies between non-key attributes and remove them by creating separate tables for the dependent attributes.

6. Normalize the database: Apply the normalization rules (such as First Normal Form, Second Normal Form, Third Normal Form, etc.) to ensure that the database is in a normalized state. This involves breaking down the tables into smaller, more manageable tables and establishing relationships between them.

7. Create relationships: Establish relationships between the normalized tables using primary key-foreign key relationships. This helps in maintaining data integrity and enforcing referential integrity constraints.

8. Test and refine: Test the normalized database for any anomalies or inconsistencies and refine the design if necessary. This ensures that the database is efficient, reliable, and meets the requirements of the users.

By following these steps, an unnormalized database can be transformed into a normalized database, which is more efficient, flexible, and easier to maintain.