Second normal form

Second normal form (2NF) is a normal form used in database normalization. 2NF was originally defined by E.F. Codd in 1971.[1]

A relation that is in first normal form (1NF) must meet additional criteria if it is to qualify for second normal form. Specifically: a relation is in 2NF if it is in 1NF and no non-prime attribute is dependent on any proper subset of any candidate key of the relation. A non-prime attribute of a relation is an attribute that is not a part of any candidate key of the relation.

Put simply, a relation is in 2NF if it is in 1NF and every non-prime attribute of the relation is dependent on the whole of every candidate key.

2NF and candidate keys

A functional dependency on part of any candidate key is a violation of 2NF. In addition to the primary key, the relation may contain other candidate keys; it is necessary to establish that no non-prime attributes have part-key dependencies on any of these candidate keys.

Multiple candidate keys occur in the following relation:

Electric Toothbrush Models
ManufacturerModelModel Full NameManufacturer Country
ForteX-PrimeForte X-PrimeItaly
ForteUltracleanForte UltracleanItaly
Dent-o-FreshEZbrushDent-o-Fresh EZbrushUSA
KobayashiST-60Kobayashi ST-60Japan
HochToothmasterHoch ToothmasterGermany
HochX-PrimeHoch X-PrimeGermany

Even if the designer has specified the primary key as {Model Full Name}, the relation is not in 2NF because of the other candidate keys. {Manufacturer, Model} is also a candidate key, and Manufacturer Country is dependent on a proper subset of it: Manufacturer. To make the design conform to 2NF, it is necessary to have two relations:

Electric Toothbrush Manufacturers
ManufacturerManufacturer Country
ForteItaly
Dent-o-FreshUSA
KobayashiJapan
HochGermany
Electric Toothbrush Models
ManufacturerModelModel Full Name
ForteX-PrimeForte X-Prime
ForteUltracleanForte Ultraclean
Dent-o-FreshEZbrushDent-o-Fresh EZbrush
KobayashiST-60Kobayashi ST-60
HochToothmasterHoch Toothmaster
HochX-PrimeHoch X-Prime

See also

References

  1. ↑ Codd, E.F. "Further Normalization of the Data Base Relational Model." (Presented at Courant Computer Science Symposia Series 6, "Data Base Systems," New York City, May 24th-25th, 1971.) IBM Research Report RJ909 (August 31st, 1971). Republished in Randall J. Rustin (ed.), Data Base Systems: Courant Computer Science Symposia Series 6. Prentice-Hall, 1972.

Further reading

  • Litt's Tips: Normalization
  • Date, C. J., & Lorentzos, N., & Darwen, H. (2002). Temporal Data & the Relational Model (1st ed.). Morgan Kaufmann. ISBN 1-55860-855-9.
  • C.J.Date (2004). Introduction to Database Systems (8th ed.). Boston: Addison-Wesley. ISBN 978-0-321-19784-9.
  • Kent, W. (1983) A Simple Guide to Five Normal Forms in Relational Database Theory, Communications of the ACM, vol. 26, pp. 120–125
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