To provide a little further context to some of the above answers, I don’t think that everyone using Airtable is concerned with table normalization. In fact, it’s very safe to say that some Airtable users don’t even know what table/database normalization is.
For example: me!
I think I’ve only heard the term “normalization” a handful of times, and I had to look up what it meant in the context of databases when I saw it mentioned in this thread. I’ll fully admit that I came into Airtable a little over a year ago with only a casual understanding of databases. I haven’t studied database design best practices, but I’ve learned a lot by observing things here. While I’m a lot better than I was when I started, I’m still pretty casual about some things.
Anyway, I think you’ll find that many people using Airtable are also casual database users. That’s part of Airtable’s appeal: it takes the concept of a database and makes it approachable, and (as others have said) actually fun to use. While some database power users may be disappointed with Airtable’s current feature set and “casual” approach to some database concepts, others are thrilled to have a tool to track their old record collection that doesn’t make them want to tear their remaining hair out. :slightly_smiling_face:
In the end, I feel that it’s okay to be casual. Not every database has to be fully normalized per the standards of database normalization (which I still don’t completely know). I can’t speak for anyone else, but at this point I simply try to guide people toward what I understand to be strong database design, while continuing to learn more about that design myself, all while realizing that some people don’t really care and just want to have fun with their record collections.
As far as the topic of drop-down fields vs extra tables, @ScottWorld nailed it. :slightly_smiling_face:
