It is always possible to decompose a relation into a set of relations that are in BCNF such that:
- The decomposition is lossless.
It is always possible to decompose a relation into a set of relations that are in 3NF such that:
- The decomposition is lossless.
- The decomposition preserves dependencies.
| BCNF | 3NF | |
|---|---|---|
| Redundancy | Less than 3NF | More than BCNF |
| Lossless Decomposition | Always guaranteed | Always guaranteed |
| Dependency Preservation | Not guaranteed | Always guaranteed |