What is denormalization and when would you use it?

Denormalization is the process of intentionally introducing redundancy into a database by

merging tables or adding redundant data to reduce the complexity of database queries,

improve read performance, and simplify the schema.

• When to use:
• When read performance is more critical than data integrity and

normalization (e.g., in OLAP systems or reporting).

• In cases where complex JOINs are causing performance bottlenecks.
• In high-performance environments where frequently accessed data can be

stored redundantly to reduce query times.