Database Normalization Process and Importance:

Process: Organizes relation to minimize redundancy and anomalies via normal forms using functional dependencies.

Steps:

• 1NF: Remove repeating groups, ensure atomic values. Example: Split multivalued phone numbers into separate rows.
• 2NF: Remove partial dependency (non-prime depends on part of candidate key). Decompose.
• 3NF: Remove transitive dependency (non-prime depends on another non-prime).
• BCNF: Every determinant is superkey (stronger 3NF).
• 4NF: Remove multi-valued dependencies, 5NF join dependencies.

Importance for Data Integrity:

• Eliminates insertion anomaly (cannot insert without key), deletion anomaly (loss of data on delete), update anomaly (inconsistency).
• Reduces redundancy, saves storage, ensures consistency.
• Enforces integrity, improves query performance after proper design.
• Example: Student(Course, Instructor) unnormalized duplicates instructor per student; 3NF splits into StudentCourse and CourseInstructor ensures one instructor update suffices.