Originally published on lavkesh.com
I've seen databases that fall apart the moment you try to update something. Duplicate data everywhere. Change customer name in one place and three other places still have the old value. This is what happens when databases aren't normalized. Database normalization is your defense against this mess.
What Normalization Does
Normalization is about eliminating redundancy and organizing data logically. Instead of storing the same information in multiple places, you store it once. Instead of scattered, unpredictable structures, you create a logical schema where relationships are clear.
The goal is simple: minimize redundancy, ensure data integrity, and make updates straightforward. When you need to change something, you change it in one place and it's correct everywhere.
