What is the difference between BCNF and 3NF?

BCNF is the short form of Boyce-Codd Normal Form and was created in 1947 by E.F Codd and R.F Boyce. BCNF is used mainly in database normalization to determine certain factors that can make a table vulnerable to certain anomalies. Before a functional dependency can occur in BCNF, certain properties must hold. For example, for a functional dependency A->D, A should be a super key, and the functional dependency should be in 3NF.

On the other hand, 3NF or Third Normal Form is used for a similar purpose, but the functional dependency can only hold if it is in 2NF. With this a non key attribute isn't transitively dependent on the primary key. It must also obey certain conditions. For example, for a functional dependency X->Y, Y should be considered as a super key, whereas X should be considered as a prime attribute meaning X should be included as one of the Candidate key. Another difference is that 3NF isn't as strong as BCNF.

BCNF stands for the Boyce Codd Normal Form. BCNF is a form for determining a table’s degree of vulnerability to plausible inconsistencies and abnormalities. A table is in BCNF only if, for every one of it’s non-trivial operational dependencies, that is a boundary between two sets of attributes in relation taken from a database. BCNF suggests that any table that neglects to meet the criteria to be recognized as a BCNF.

3NF is a standard form that is used in database normalization. It is thought that a table is in 3NF and if the table is in the second common form, as well as every principal element of the table. BCNF is a super key, while 3NF is a form in which the table is in 2NF, and every non-prime attribute is non transitively dependent on every key in the table.