Denormalization

Denormalization

Denormalization intentionally introduces redundancy to improve read performance.

Normalization vs Denormalization

Aspect	Normalized	Denormalized
Data redundancy	Minimal	Intentional
Write performance	Better	Worse (multiple updates)
Read performance	More JOINs	Fewer JOINs
Data integrity	Easier	Harder (sync issues)
Storage	Less	More

When to Denormalize

• Read-heavy workloads
• Complex reports/analytics
• Infrequent data updates
• Performance-critical queries

Denormalization Techniques

Best Practices

1. Start normalized, denormalize based on actual performance needs
2. Document all denormalization decisions
3. Implement update triggers to maintain consistency
4. Monitor for data synchronization issues