Summary Entity Framework Core in Action teaches you how to access and update relational data from .NET applications. Following the crystal-clear explanations, real-world examples, and around 100 diagrams, you'll discover time-saving patterns and best practices for security, performance tuning, and unit testing. Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications. About the Technology There's a mismatch in the way OO programs and relational databases represent data. Entity Framework is an object-relational mapper (ORM) that bridges this gap, making it radically easier to query and write to databases from a .NET application. EF creates a data model that matches the structure of your OO code so you can query and write to your database using standard LINQ commands. It will even automatically generate the model from your database schema. About the Book Using crystal-clear explanations, real-world examples, and around 100 diagrams, Entity Framework Core in Action teaches you how to access and update relational data from .NET applications. You'l start with a clear breakdown of Entity Framework, long with the mental model behind ORM. Then you'll discover time-saving patterns and best practices for security, performance tuning, and even unit testing. As you go, you'll address common data access challenges and learn how to handle them with Entity Framework. What's Inside Querying a relational database with LINQ Using EF Core in business logic Integrating EF with existing C# applications Applying domain-driven design to EF Core Getting the best performance out of EF Core Covers EF Core 2.0 and 2.1 About the Reader For .NET developers with some awareness of how relational databases work. About the Author Jon P Smith is a full-stack developer with special focus on .NET Core and Azure. Table of Contents Part 1 - Getting started Introduction to Entity FrameworkCore Querying the database Changing the database content Using EF Core in business logic Using EF Core in ASP.NET Core web applications Part 2 - Entity Framework in depth Configuring nonrelational properties Configuring relationships Configuring advanced features and handling concurrency conflicts Going deeper into the DbContext Part 3 - Using Entity Framework Core in real-world applications Useful software patterns for EF Core applications Handling database migrations EF Core performance tuning A worked example of performance tuning Different database types and EF Core services Unit testing EF Core applications Appendix A - A brief introduction to LINQ Appendix B - Early information on EF Core version 2.1

C# developers, here’s your opportunity to learn the ins-and-outs of Entity Framework Core, Microsoft’s recently redesigned object-relational mapper. Benefit from hands-on learning that will teach you how to tackle frustrating database challenges, such as workarounds to missing features in Entity Framework Core, and learn how to optimize the performance of your applications, head-on! Modern Data Access with Entity Framework Core teaches best practices, guidance, and shortcuts that will significantly reduce the amount of resources you internally dedicate to programming data access code. The proven methods and tools taught in this book, such as how to get better performance, and the ability to select the platform of your choice, will save you valuable time and allow you to create seamless data access. Dive into succinct guidance that covers the gamut-- from installing Entity Framework Core, reverse engineering, forward engineering (including schema migrations), and data reading and modification with LINQ, Dynamic LINQ, SQL, Stored Procedures, and Table Valued Functions- to using third-party products such as LINQPad, Entity Developer, Entity Framework Profiler, EFPlus, and AutoMapper. You'll also appreciate excerpts of conceptual software architecture discussion around Entity Framework Core that might otherwise take years to learn. What You'll Learn Understand the core concepts of Entity Framework Core, as well process models for existing databases (reverse engineering) and the generation of database schemas from object models (forward engineering) Study real-world case studies for hands-on EF Core instruction Get up to speed with valuable database access scenarios and code samples Discover workarounds to augment missing features in Entity Framework Core Use Entity Framework Core to write mobile apps Bonus online appendix covers Entity Framework Core 2.1 release updates Who This Book Is For Software developers who have basic experience with .NET and C#, as well as some understanding of relational databases. Knowledge of predecessor technologies such as ADO.NET and the classic ADO.NET Entity Framework is not necessary to learn from this book.

Leverage the full potential of Entity Framework with this collection of powerful and easy-to-follow recipes About This Book Learn how to use the new features of Entity Framework Core 1 Improve your queries by leveraging some of the advanced features Avoid common pitfalls Make the best of your .NET APIs by integrating with Entity Framework Who This Book Is For This book is for .NET developers who work with relational databases on a daily basis and understand the basics of Entity Framework, but now want to use it in a more efficient manner. You are expected to have some prior knowledge of Entity Framework. What You Will Learn Master the technique of using sequence key generators Validate groups of entities that are to be saved / updated Improve MVC applications that cover applications developed using ASP.NET MVC Core 1 Retrieve database information (table, column names, and so on) for entities Discover optimistic concurrency control and pessimistic concurrency control. Implement Multilatency on the data side of things. Enhance the performance and/or scalability of Entity Framework Core Explore and overcome the pitfalls of Entity Framework Core In Detail Entity Framework is a highly recommended Object Relation Mapping tool used to build complex systems. In order to survive in this growing market, the knowledge of a framework that helps provide easy access to databases, that is, Entity Framework has become a necessity. This book will provide .NET developers with this knowledge and guide them through working efficiently with data using Entity Framework Core. You will start off by learning how to efficiently use Entity Framework in practical situations. You will gain a deep understanding of mapping properties and find out how to handle validation in Entity Framework. The book will then explain how to work with transactions and stored procedures along with improving Entity Framework using query libraries. Moving on, you will learn to improve complex query scenarios and implement transaction and concurrency control. You will then be taught to improve and develop Entity Framework in complex business scenarios. With the concluding chapter on performance and scalability, this book will get you ready to use Entity Framework proficiently. Style and approach Filled with rich code-based examples, this book takes a recipe-based approach that will teach .NET developers to improve their understanding of Entity Framework and help them effortlessly apply this knowledge in everyday situations.

Annotation Code first is an additional means of building a model to be used with the Entity Framework and is creating a lot of excitement in the .NET development community. The reader will begin with an overview of what code first is, why it was created, how it fits into the Entity Framework and when to use it over the alternatives.

In addition to Code First, EF 4.1 introduces simpler EF coding patterns with the DbContext, DbSet, ChangeTracker and Validation APIs. This mini-book will take the reader on a tour of these features and how to take advantage of them.

Model, map, and access data effectively with Entity Framework Core 2, the latest evolution of Microsoft’s object-relational mapping framework. You will access data utilizing .NET objects via the most common data access layer used in ASP.NET Core MVC 2 projects. Best-selling author Adam Freeman explains how to get the most from Entity Framework Core 2 in MVC projects. He begins by describing the different ways that Entity Framework Core 2 can model data and the different types of databases that can be used. He then shows you how to use Entity Framework Core 2 in your own MVC projects, starting from the nuts and bolts and building up to the most advanced and sophisticated features, going in-depth to give you the knowledge you need. Chapters include common problems and how to avoid them. What You’ll Learn Gain a solid architectural understanding of Entity Framework Core 2 Create databases using your MVC data model Create MVC models using an existing database Access data in an MVC application using Entity Framework Core 2 Use Entity Framework in RESTful Web Services Who This Book Is For ASP.NET Core MVC 2 developers who want to use Entity Framework Core 2 as the data access layer in their projects

Determine your object relational mapper (ORM) of choice for enterprise applications using .NET Framework, and especially .NET Framework Core 3.1 and higher. Real-world examples and considerations are presented in this book to help you create robust and efficient database solutions. Throughout the text, actual problems, questions, and common pitfalls are provided to help you recognize optimal solutions for maximum success in the different application scenarios you might encounter. Practical Entity Framework begins with a simple overview of the two most common approaches to working with databases—database first and code first—and then focuses on working in a code first manner. Taking the code first approach allows the entire database to be built and maintained in code so there is never a situation in which you cannot restore the database schema. Additionally, the code first approach creates an entirely transparent record of changes to the database that is easily tracked in source control. Emphasis throughout the book is on leaving you well positioned to architect and lead data development efforts for your organization. What You Will Learn Build robust and maintainable databases using a code first approach Create and execute stored procedures, triggers, and functions Analyze and optimize performance of database queries Ensure data integrity through keys, constraints, and relationships Who This Book Is For .NET developers who work with enterprise-level applications and need to interact with data structures and data within the back end data store, developers who want to take a code first approach to building database applications to prevent conflicts and optimize efficiency, and those who are moving into full-stack roles, or into senior and architectural roles, and will be responsible for database design and implementation