Member-only story

Unlocking the Power of Data with Practical Entity Framework Core: A Comprehensive Guide

Cameron Reed

·10.5k Followers· Follow

Published in Practical Entity Framework Core 6: Database Access For Enterprise Applications

6 min read

497 View Claps

75 Respond

Save

Listen

Entity Framework Core (EF Core) is a powerful Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) framework that bridges the gap between relational databases and object-oriented programming languages like C#. It simplifies data access and manipulation by providing an abstraction layer that translates between the two worlds, making it easier to work with data in a consistent and efficient manner.

This comprehensive guide is designed to provide a thorough understanding of EF Core, from its foundational concepts to advanced techniques. Whether you're a beginner who is just getting started with EF Core or an experienced developer looking to enhance your skills, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and skills to maximize the potential of EF Core in your applications.

Object-Relational Mapping (ORM)

EF Core is an ORM framework, which means it translates between the object-oriented representation of data in your code and the relational representation stored in the database. This allows you to work with data using objects and classes, rather than having to manually write SQL queries and manage database connections.

Practical Entity Framework Core 6: Database Access for Enterprise Applications

by Brian L. Gorman

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	92122 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	1018 pages

Entities

Entities are the core building blocks of EF Core. They represent real-world objects, such as customers, orders, or products, and are mapped to database tables. Each entity has a unique identifier (ID) and properties that correspond to the columns in the database table.

DbContext

The DbContext class is the central point of interaction with the database. It represents a session with the database and provides methods for querying, inserting, updating, and deleting data. The DbContext is responsible for tracking changes made to entities and propagating those changes to the database when SaveChanges() is called.

Code First, Database First, and Model First

EF Core supports three different approaches to data modeling:

Code First: Start with C# classes and let EF Core create the database schema based on those classes.
Database First: Start with an existing database and generate C# classes based on the database schema.
Model First: Use a modeling tool to design a data model and generate both C# classes and a database schema from that model.

To get started with EF Core, you'll need to install the Entity Framework Core NuGet package into your project. Once installed, you can create a DbContext class that represents your database context. The DbContext class should inherit from the Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.DbContext base class.

csharp public class MyDbContext : DbContext { public DbSet Customers { get; set; }public DbSet Orders { get; set; }public DbSet Products { get; set; }}

The DbContext class defines DbSet properties for each entity type that you want to work with. The DbSet property represents a collection of entities that are stored in the database table corresponding to that entity type.

EF Core provides a powerful query language called LINQ (Language Integrated Query) that allows you to query data using C# syntax. LINQ queries can be used to retrieve, filter, sort, and aggregate data from the database.

csharp var customers = context.Customers.ToList();

// Retrieve all customers with the last name "Smith" var smithCustomers = context.Customers.Where(c => c.LastName == "Smith").ToList();

var totalOrders = context.Orders.Count();

EF Core automatically tracks changes made to entities that are loaded from the database. When you modify an entity property, EF Core will mark the entity as "modified" and will propagate those changes to the database when SaveChanges() is called.

csharp var customer = context.Customers.Find(1); customer.Address = "123 Main Street";

context.SaveChanges();

Beyond the basics, EF Core offers a wide range of advanced techniques that can enhance the performance and functionality of your applications:

Lazy Loading: Retrieve related data only when it is needed, reducing the amount of data that is transferred between the database and the application.
Eager Loading: Retrieve related data upfront, improving performance for scenarios where you know that you will need that data.
Change Tracking: Keep track of changes made to entities, allowing you to selectively update or delete data.
Transactions: Group multiple database operations into a single unit of work, ensuring that all operations either succeed or fail together.
Custom Queries: Write raw SQL queries or stored procedures and execute them using EF Core's query execution API.

Entity Framework Core is a powerful tool that can significantly simplify data access and management in .NET applications. By understanding the key concepts and techniques covered in this guide, you can unlock the full potential of EF Core and build data-driven applications with confidence and efficiency.

Remember, the journey to mastering EF Core is an ongoing one. Stay up-to-date with the latest features and best practices by reading the official documentation, attending conferences, and engaging with the EF Core community.

With persistence and a dedication to continuous learning, you can become an expert in Entity Framework Core and harness its power to create exceptional data-centric applications.

Practical Entity Framework Core 6: Database Access for Enterprise Applications

by Brian L. Gorman

4.7 out of 5