EF API translates LINQ-to-Entities queries to SQL queries for relational databases using EDM and also converts results back to entity objects. It uses EDM in building SQL queries from LINQ queries, building INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE commands, and transform database result into entity objects. The Entity Framework Core is an updated and enhanced version of the Entity Framework designed for .NET Core applications. While the EF Core is relatively new and not as fully developed as the EF 6, it still supports its predecessor’s features and concepts.
Both ORMs are great and work with any kind of project, from small-scale to massive enterprise-level applications. In this Entity Framework Tutorials Course using C#, I will discuss all the concepts of Entity Framework with Real-Time Examples. In this Entity Framework Tutorials article series, we will start from the very basics and, as we progress, cover all the intermediate and advanced features of Entity Framework as well. To take full advantage of this Entity Framework Core Tutorials, you should have the basic knowledge of C# and any database such as SQL Server, Oracle, or MySQL to gain more knowledge of these tutorials. Having .NET Core, Visual Studio, and SQL Server installed on your computer is good. The aim of the ORM is to increase the developer’s productivity by reducing the redundant task used in the application.
EF 6 Version History
It simplifies database interactions by allowing you to work with database objects as if they were regular C# objects. If you’re working on an existing project that already using EF6 or one that is linked to the .NET Framework, it’s still a good option to use EF 6. However, if you are developing new projects, particularly projects targeting .NET Core or .NET 5/6+, EF Core is the best choice. EF Core’s flexibility, performance improvements, and cross-platform capabilities make it the perfect selection for modern application development. Entity Framework Core is an ORM Tool that increases the developer’s productivity by reducing the redundant task of doing CRUD operations against a database in a .NET Core Application.
Prior to .NET 3.5, we (developers) often used to write ADO.NET code or Enterprise Data Access Block to save or retrieve application data from the underlying database. We used to open a connection to the database, create a DataSet to fetch or submit the data to the database, convert data from the DataSet to .NET objects or vice-versa to apply business rules. Microsoft has provided a framework called “Entity Framework” to automate all these database related activities for your application. Work still needs to be done to retrieve and map the data from the database to an instance of the domain object. However, as the domain model grows, the amount of code required can grow and will need more and more development time to maintain.
EF Core Version History
Consequently, professional developers prefer to work with data in a strongly-typed manner. Before .NET Framework 3.5, as a developer, we often wrote ADO.NET Code to perform CRUD operations with the underlying database. For this, we need to create a Connection Object with the database, then Open the Connection, Create the Command Object, and execute the Command using Data Reader or Data Adapter.
entity framework meaning is an open-source ORM framework for .NET applications supported by Microsoft. It enables developers to work with data using objects of domain specific classes without focusing on the underlying database tables and columns where this data is stored. With the Entity Framework, developers can work at a higher level of abstraction when they deal with data, and can create and maintain data-oriented applications with less code compared with traditional applications. Entity Framework is an open-source object-relational mapper framework for .NET applications supported by Microsoft. It increases the developer’s productivity as it enables developers to work with data using objects of domain-specific classes without focusing on the underlying database tables and columns where this data is stored. It eliminates the need for most of the data-access code which is used to interact with the database that developers usually need to write.
Learn Latest Tutorials
A third version of Entity Framework, version 4.1, was released on April 12, 2011, with Code First support. The following figure describes where the Entity Framework present in your application. Some people prefer to write all queries (Dapper) and some people prefer to work with LINQ (EF Core). The latest version of EF Core is now the recommended ORM for any new project over EF6. Pranaya Rout has published more than 3,000 articles in his 11-year career. In the next article, I will discuss How to Install the Entity Framework Core in ASP.NET Core Application using Visual Studio.
ORM tools increase developer productivity by reducing the redundant task of performing CRUD operations against a database in a .NET Application. The EF Core database provider usually contains the functionality specific to the database it supports. An ORM Framework like Entity Framework or EF Core can do all of the above for us and saves a lot of time if we provide the required information to the ORM Framework. The ORM Framework sits between our application code and the Database. It eliminates the need for most custom data-access codes we usually write without an ORM. Entity Framework (EF) Core is an ORM (Object-Relational Mapper) Framework for data access in .NET Core.
EF Core Database Providers
Entity Framework is Microsoft’s recommended data access technology for new applications. Entity Framework is an Object-Relational Mapper which enable the .NET developers to work with the database using the .NET objects. It eliminates the need for accessing the code of the data that developers need to write. Learn Entity Framework using simple yet practical examples on EntityFrameworkTutorial.net for free. Learn Entity Framework DB-First, Code-First and EF Core step by step. While using this site, you agree to have read and accepted our terms
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EF Core mainly targets the code-first approach and provides little support for the database-first approach because the visual designer or wizard for DB model is not supported as of EF Core. The term ORM stands for Object-Relational Mapper, and it automatically creates classes based on database tables and vice versa is also true. It can also generate the necessary SQL to create the database based on the classes. As per the above figure, Entity Framework fits between the business entities (Domain Classes) and the database. It saves the data in the business properties entities and also retrieves the data from the database and converts it into the business entity’s object automatically.
Entity Framework Tutorials For Begineers and Professionals
A refresh of version 4.1, named Entity Framework 4.1 Update 1, was released on July 25, 2011. An ORM (Object-Relational Mapper) is used to interact with a database using an object-oriented programming language. ORMs allow developers to work with databases using familiar, object-oriented concepts, rather than writing raw SQL statements. Entity Framework simplifies database operations and allows you to work with your data using C# objects. You can now build upon this foundation to create more complex database-driven applications with ease.
- This website provides tutorials with examples, code snippets, and practical insights, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced developers.
- This tutorial provides a hands-on approach to the subject with step-by-step program examples that will assist you in learning and putting the acquired knowledge into practice.
- The Entity Framework is an Object/Relational Mapping (O/RM) framework that maps objects to relational databases.
- We’ll also use SQL Server as the database and show you how to install the required NuGet package, EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer.
It is open-source, lightweight, extensible and a cross-platform version of Entity Framework data access technology. These commands will create the initial database migration and apply it to your SQL Server instance. At this step, your appsettings.json must have your ConnectionString already.
ASP.NET Core Online Training Program
Suppose we want to develop an application to manage the students of a college. To do this, we may need to create classes such as Student, Department, Address, etc. Technically, we called these classes Domain classes or business objects. Entity Framework Core uses a provider model to access many different databases. EF Core includes providers as NuGet packages which you need to install.
