Should I use flat tables or a normalized database?

Question

I have a web application that I am currently working on that uses a MySQL database for the back-end, and I need to know what is better for my situation before I continue any fur

Answer 1

Rule of thumb. It's easier to go from normalized to denormalized than the other way around.

Start with a reasonable level of database normalization (by reasonable I mean readable, maintainable, and efficient but not prematurely optimized), then if you hit performance issues as you grow, you have the option of looking into ways in which denormalization may increase performance.