second normal form (2NF)

Second Normal Form (2NF) is a principle in database design that ensures each data table is organized efficiently. It states that all non-key data (attributes) should depend entirely on the primary key, not just part of it. This means there should be no partial dependencies where some information is linked to only part of a composite key if the key has multiple parts. Achieving 2NF helps prevent data duplication and makes updates more consistent, ensuring the database is structured logically so that each piece of information is stored in the most appropriate place.