What is the primary goal of normalization in a relational database?

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Normalization is about structuring data to minimize redundancy and remove ambiguity by splitting data into related tables and defining clear dependencies. By storing each fact in one place and linking related data with keys, the database avoids repeating information and reduces the risk of inconsistent updates. This organization makes data maintenance more reliable—changes propagate correctly through related records, preserving data integrity. While normalization can lead to more tables and joins, which might affect performance, the priority is correctness and consistency rather than speed. Choices that encourage duplicating data or prioritizing denormalized, faster reads run counter to what normalization is aiming to achieve.