First Normal Form

first normal form
See Also: normal form
[database structures] The first level of guidelines for designing table and data structures in a relational database.

First normal form (1NF or Minimal Form) is a normal form used in database normalization. A relational database table that adheres to 1NF is one that meets a certain minimum set of criteria.

A database that's in the first normal form is vulnerable to all types of anomalies, while a database that's in the domain/key normal form has no modification anomalies. Normal forms are hierarchical in nature.

See also: Relation, Database, Normal Form, Relational Database, Object