Normalization

Initial de-normalized relation (R) and functional dependencies

R(

user_id, username, password, email, component_id, component_name, brand, price, component_type, img_url, cpu_socket, cpu_cores, cpu_threads, cpu_base_clock, cpu_boost_clock, cpu_tdp, gpu_vram, gpu_tdp, gpu_base_clock, gpu_boost_clock, gpu_chipset, gpu_length, memory_type, memory_speed, memory_capacity, memory_modules, storage_type, storage_capacity, storage_form_factor, psu_type, psu_wattage, psu_form_factor, motherboard_socket, motherboard_chipset, motherboard_form_factor, ram_type, num_ram_slots, max_ram_capacity, pci_express_slots, case_cooler_max_height, case_gpu_max_length, case_storage_form_factor, case_storage_slots, case_ps_form_factor, case_mobo_form_factor, cooler_type, cooler_height, cooler_max_tdp, cooler_socket, memory_card_slots, memory_card_interface, optical_form_factor, optical_type, optical_interface, optical_write_speed, optical_read_speed, sound_sample_rate, sound_bit_depth, sound_chipset, sound_interface, sound_channel, cable_length, cable_type, net_adapter_wifi, net_adapter_interface, net_adapter_antennas, net_card_ports, net_card_speed, net_card_interface, build_id, build_name, build_created_at, build_description, build_total_price, build_is_approved, build_component_id, rating_value, review_content, review_created_at, suggestion_id, suggestion_link, suggestion_description, suggestion_status, suggestion_admin_comment, suggestion_component_type

)

Functional dependencies:

user_id → username, password, email

component_id → name, brand, price, component_type, img_url

component_id → cpu_socket, cpu_cores, cpu_threads, cpu_base_clock, cpu_boost_clock, cpu_tdp

component_id → gpu_vram, gpu_tdp, gpu_base_clock, gpu_boost_clock, gpu_chipset, gpu_length

component_id → memory_type, memory_speed, memory_capacity, memory_modules

component_id → storage_type, storage_capacity, storage_form_factor

component_id → psu_type, psu_wattage, psu_form_factor

component_id → motherboard_socket, motherboard_chipset, motherboard_form_factor, ram_type, num_ram_slots, max_ram_capacity, pci_express_slots

component_id → case_cooler_max_height, case_gpu_max_length

component_id → cooler_type, cooler_height, cooler_max_tdp

component_id → memory_card_slots, memory_card_interface

component_id → optical_form_factor, optical_type, optical_interface, optical_write_speed, optical_read_speed

component_id → sound_sample_rate, sound_bit_depth, sound_chipset, sound_interface, sound_channel

component_id → cable_length, cable_type

component_id → net_adapter_wifi, net_adapter_interface, net_adapter_antennas

component_id → net_card_ports, net_card_speed, net_card_interface (component_id, form_factor) → /, for case motherboard and power supply form factors

(component_id, form_factor) → num_slots, for case storage form factors

(component_id, socket) → /, for cooler cpu sockets

build_id → user_id, build_name, build_created_at, build_description, build_total_price, build_is_approved

build_component_id → build_id, user_id

(build_id, user_id) → rating_value

review_id → build_id, user_id, review_content, review_created_at

suggestion_id → user_id, admin_id, link, description, status, admin_comment, component_type

The de-normalized relation violates 1NF because it contains multi-valued attributes.

Candidate keys of the de-normalized relation

Because the universal relation combines users, builds, components, reviews, and suggestions, a minimal key must uniquely identify all of them.

The artifical candidate key is {user_id, build_id, component_id, review_id, suggestion_id}

Universal relation primary key = {user_id, build_id, component_id, review_id, suggestion_id}

1NF Decomposition

Here we have to separate the multi-valued attributes into individual relations. This will ensure that all values are atomic.

case_storage_form_factors(case_id, form_factor, num_slots)

case_ps_form_factors(case_id, form_factor)

case_mobo_form_factors(case_id, form_factor)

cooler_cpu_sockets(cooler_id, socket)

We separate obvious entities in individual relations:

users(user_id, username, password, email)

admins(user_id)

components(component_id, name, brand, price, component_type, img_url)

cpu(component_id, cpu_socket, cpu_cores, cpu_threads, cpu_base_clock, cpu_boost_clock, cpu_tdp)

gpu(component_id, gpu_vram, gpu_tdp, gpu_base_clock, gpu_boost_clock, gpu_chipset, gpu_length)

memory(component_id, memory_type, memory_speed, memory_capacity, memory_modules)

storage(component_id, storage_type, storage_capacity, storage_form_factor)

power_supply(component_id, psu_type, psu_wattage, psu_form_factor)

motherboard(component_id, motherboard_socket, motherboard_chipset, motherboard_form_factor, ram_type, num_ram_slots, max_ram_capacity, pci_express_slots)

pc_case(component_id, case_cooler_max_height, case_gpu_max_length)

cooler(component_id, cooler_type, cooler_height, cooler_max_tdp)

memory_card(component_id, memory_card_slots, memory_card_interface)

optical_drive(component_id, optical_form_factor, optical_type, optical_interface, optical_write_speed, optical_read_speed)

sound_card(component_id, sound_sample_rate, sound_bit_depth, sound_chipset, sound_interface, sound_channel)

cables(component_id, cable_length, cable_type)

network_adapter(component_id, net_adapter_wifi, net_adapter_interface, net_adapter_antennas)

network_card(component_id, net_card_ports, net_card_speed, net_card_interface)

build(build_id, user_id, build_name, build_created_at, build_description, build_total_price, build_is_approved)

build_component(build_component_id, build_id, component_id)

review(review_id, build_id, user_id, review_content, review_created_at)

rating_build(build_id, user_id, rating_value)

suggestions(suggestion_id, user_id, admin_id, link, description, status, admin_comment, component_type)

all of which satisfy 1NF.

Candidate keys & primary keys:

users → user_id

admins → user_id

components → component_id

component subclasses (like cpu, gpu etc.) → component_id

build → build_id

build_component → build_component_id

review → review_id

rating_build → (build_id, user_id)

favorite_build → (build_id, user_id)

suggestions → suggestion_id

Second Normal Form (2NF)

2NF focuses on partial dependencies, which can only occur when a relation has a composite primary key and a non-key attribute depends on only part of that key. Relations with a single-attribute primary key were considered to be automatically in 2NF. Most of the relations obtained after 1NF like users, components, build, review and suggestions, have single-attribute primary keys so partial dependencies cannot exist in these relations. The remaining relations that have composite primary keys favorite_build and rating_build were analyzed separately.

favorite_build(build_id, user_id) - doesn't have non-key attributes so it is already 2NF

rating_build(build_id, user_id, rating_value) - rating_value depends on full key so it is 2NF

In the case of associative tables like build_component and favorite_build no non-key attributes are present so partial dependencies are not possible. For rating_build the non-key attribute depend on the full composite key (a rating is uniquely determined by both the user and the build). Since no non-key attribute was found to be partially dependent all relations satisfy 2NF.

Third normal Form (3NF)

users(user_id, username, password, email) - all attributes depend directly on user_id so 3NF is satisfied

components(component_id, name, brand, price, component_type, img_url) - all attributes depend directly on component_id so this is 3NF

build(build_id, user_id, build_name, build_created_at, build_description, build_total_price, build_is_approved) - all attributes depend on build_id which means that 3NF is satisfied

component subclasses (like cpu, gpu, memory etc.) - all attributes depend directly on component_id so 3NF is satisfied

review(review_id, build_id, user_id, review_content, review_created_at) - attributes depend on review_id, 3NF is satisfied

rating_build(build_id, user_id, rating_value) → rating_value depends on (build_id, user_id), 3NF is satisfied

favorite_build(build_id, user_id) - no non-key attributes so this automatically satisfies 3NF

suggestions(suggestion_id, user_id, admin_id, link, description, status, admin_comment, component_type) - attributes depend on suggestion_id, 3NF is satisfied

case_storage_form_factors(case_id, form_factor, num_slots) - no transitive dependencies, 3NF is satisfied

case_ps_form_factors(case_id, form_factor) - no transitive dependencies, 3NF is satisfied

case_mobo_form_factors(case_id, form_factor) - no transitive dependencies, 3NF is satisfied

cooler_cpu_sockets(cooler_id, socket) - no transitive dependencies, 3NF is satisfied

build_component(build_component_id, build_id, component_id) - no transitive dependencies because all attributes depend on build_component_id, therefore 3NF is satisfied.

BCNF decomposition

BCNF checks if every determinant is a super-key so we need to analyze all 3NF relations.

users(user_id, username, password, email):

FD: user_id → username, password, email

Determinant user_id is the primary key (superkey), BCNF

admins(user_id):

Determinant user_id is the primary key (superkey), BCNF

components(component_id, name, brand, price, component_type, img_url):

FD: component_id → name, brand, price, component_type, img_url

Determinant component_id is the primary key (superkey), BCNF

Component specialization tables (cpu, gpu, memory, etc.):

Each table: primary key = component_id

All attributes depend only on component_id

Determinant is primary key(superkey), BCNF

build(build_id, user_id, build_name, build_created_at, build_description, build_total_price, build_is_approved):

FD: build_id → user_id, build_name, build_created_at, build_description, build_total_price, build_is_approved

Determinant build_id is primary key(superkey), BCNF

build_component(build_component_id, build_id, component_id):

FD: build_component_id → build_id, component_id

Determinant build_component_id is primary key(superkey), BCNF

favorite_build(build_id, user_id):

FD: Composite key (build_id, user_id) → /

No non-key attributes so its by default BCNF

rating_build(build_id, user_id, rating_value):

FD: (build_id, user_id) → rating_value

Determinant is full primary key (superkey), BCNF

review(review_id, build_id, user_id, review_content, review_created_at):

FD: review_id → build_id, user_id, review_content, review_created_at

Determinant = primary key (superkey), BCNF

suggestions(suggestion_id, user_id, admin_id, link, description, status, admin_comment, component_type):

FD: suggestion_id → user_id, admin_id, link, description, status, admin_comment, component_type

Determinant is primary key (superkey)

case_storage_form_factors(case_id, form_factor, num_slots):

FD: (case_id, form_factor) → num_slots

Full composite key is determinant (superkey), BCNF

case_ps_form_factors(case_id, form_factor):

FD: (case_id, form_factor) → /

Full composite key is determinant (superkey), BCNF

case_mobo_form_factors(case_id, form_factor):

FD: (case_id, form_factor) → /

Full composite key is determinant (superkey), BCNF

cooler_cpu_sockets(cooler_id, socket):

FD: (cooler_id, socket) → /

Full composite key is determinant (superkey), BCNF

We can now see that all determinants are superkeys, so BCNF is satisfied.