Microsoft introduced Entity Framework first time in the .NET framework 3. It acts like a bridge between an application and the connected data sources. It provides a huge variety of libraries to read and write data and enables the developers to focus on the business domain objects instead of focusing on building up the architecture of a database. It is built on the top of ADO.NET architecture, generates the code automatically in the application. This framework serves as a bridge between the object-oriented world of .NET applications and the relational world of databases, making it an essential tool for developers working with data-driven applications.
Customization options enable developers to fine-tune the mapping between database tables and C# classes for optimal data handling. Founded in 1997, Devart is currently one of the leading developers of database management software, ALM solutions and data providers for most popular database servers. Some database providers might have limited support or specific limitations when used with EF, affecting the features available in your application. Supports multiple database providers, allowing applications to switch between different database systems (such as SQL Server, MySQL, SQLite, etc.) without major code changes. It helps in simplifying the queries and speed up the performance of an application.
Running migration operations
Most of the time you don’t have to write any SQL yourself, and iterating is very easy using your language built in functions. When you make any changes to the object, the ORM will usually detect this, and mark the object as ‘modified’. When you save all the changes in your ORM to the database, the ORM will automatically generate insert/update/delete statements, based on what you did with the objects. EF Core implements the Unit of Work pattern, keeping track of changes to our entities and then ultimately sending those changes back to our database engine. The approach has many advantages when modifying data, but comes with a noticeable performance cost.
Depending on your organization and responsibility delegation, it may be best to have a conversation about EF Core naming conventions and adopt them as an understood methodology to design and evolve schema. Database administrators and developers should work towards delivering value for users. If it’s impossible to do so due to organizational reasons, consider the next section as a possible solution. This command will create a new .config directory with a dotnet-tools.json file.
The Ultimate Comparison of ADO.NET and Entity Framework
As per the above figure, Entity Framework fits between the business entities (domain classes) and the database. It saves data stored in the properties of business entities and also retrieves data from the database and converts it to business entities objects automatically. In the code-first approach, EF Core API creates the database and tables using migration based on the conventions and configuration provided in your domain classes. Last but not least comes the Entity Framework flagship approach since EF4, which enables an elegant, highly-efficient Data Model development workflow.
I would also highly recommend the code first approach, even if you have an existing database. You have to make an architectural decision based on the problem and existing solution. Entity Framework Core entity framework meaning uses a provider model to access many different databases. EF Core includes providers as NuGet packages which you need to install. Entity Framework is an Object/Relational Mapping (O/RM) framework.
List of Cons of Entity Framework
Moreover, EF’s capability to automatically generate SQL queries and manage database schema changes through code-first migrations simplifies database management tasks. It tracks changes made to entities and adjusts the database accordingly, ensuring data integrity and reducing the amount of manual coding required for database operations. An ORM framework does this object to SQL mapping by generating SQL statements and the Entity manager will execute them when you need to save or load objects from the database. It comes at the cost of another abstraction layer, but it will make the code easier to write.
As developers, and in the instance of EF Core, delete is unflinching and unapologetic about removing our data from existence, permanently. When developing a new application, we may tend towards the convenience of hard deletes, but we can add soft deletes to our applications with a little effort. Instead of using anonymous object results, we can also project directly into data transfer objects meant to be consumed by callers. In this example, we select directly into our HTTP API response models for maximum efficiency.
Entity Framework Architecture
These components like DataSet, DataView, and DataViewManager always represent the data on behalf of ADO.NET. The DataSet component objects normally use XML Schema to capture and return data between the Applications and the Data Providers. We can represent single or multiple views of a dataset with the help of DataView and DataViewManager objects. In our applications, if required we can directly use a DataView or DataViewManager component with data-bound controls like DataGrid or DataList. Compatibility with your chosen database providers and the features required by your application should also guide your decision. The Entity Framework provides a robust suite of extensive configuration options, enhancing flexibility and customization through the use of fluent API and annotations.
Although, sometimes writing and managing ADO.NET code becomes a tedious job. One of the notable challenges when adopting Entity Framework is its steep learning curve, driven by the framework’s complex conventions and configurations. This complexity arises from the need to understand how Entity Framework (EF) manages entity relationships and mappings, a foundational aspect that can be daunting for beginners. The framework’s power and flexibility lie in its ability to abstract database interactions, but achieving optimal performance and efficiency necessitates a deep dive into its myriad features. A data provider is a set of factors, similar as Connection, Command, DataAdapter, and DataReader.
With TPH, we would generate an SQL Statement equivalent to querying a single table. With EF Core, we can apply an index using the ModelBuilder instance within the OnModelCreating method. As of writing this post, indexes can only be applied using the ModelBuilder, and there is no data annotation attribute equivalent. Let’s look at projecting our Movie model into a result that includes characters and actor data. Forgetting to include important data can lead to panic when users think the system is not saving data or has deleted existing data. EF Core will not load the Characters and Ratings navigation properties in the following query.
Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. EF Core continues to support the following features and concepts, same as EF 6. Setting constraints and indexes to improve data integrity and performance. Moving on from the challenges of the learning curve, the next aspect of our discussion on Entity Framework revolves around its flexibility and customization capabilities.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Entity Framework
It provides unique syntax (LINQ/Yoda) for all object queries, both inside and outside of the database. EF Core optimizes queries by caching LINQ Expressions, but first, it has to compile our LINQ expressions. This processing of LINQ expressions is noticeable in production environments. It’s worth experimenting with AsSplitQuery, as it can speed up queries and reduce network traffic by removing data duplication. By adding the AsSplitQuery method, we now have three SQL statements for Movies, Characters, and Actor. Looking at the diagnostic query string from EF Core, we see the following SQL.
- By intelligently storing data in a cache, applications can retrieve information more rapidly than by accessing a database directly, leading to quicker response times and a smoother user experience.
- To expand your possibilities, you can use this powerful Entity Framework Designer that automates the process.
- Storage model is basically the design model of the database which comprises of tables, views, stored procedure, their keys & relationships.
