C# Entity Framework is a powerful Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) framework that allows developers to work with relational data using an object-oriented approach. It is designed to simplify the development process of data-driven applications and enables developers to interact with databases using their familiar C# language. In this article, we will take a comprehensive look at what C# Entity Framework is, its uses, and its various features.

What Is C# Entity Framework?

C# Entity Framework is an ORM framework that enables developers to interact with relational data using an object-oriented approach. It allows developers to work with data as objects, rather than having to write raw SQL queries. This makes it easier for developers to understand and maintain their code, and allows them to focus on their application’s business logic.

What Is the Use of Entity Framework in C#?

The main use of the C# Entity Framework is to simplify the development process of data-driven applications. It allows developers to interact with databases using their familiar C# language rather than having to write raw SQL queries. This makes it easier for developers to understand and maintain their code, and allows them to focus on their application’s business logic.

Features of C# Entity Framework

  • Object-Relational Mapping (ORM)
  • Database-First, Code-First, and Model-First development approaches
  • Automatic change tracking
  • Support for LINQ (Language Integrated Query)
  • Support for transactions
  • Support for stored procedures

Entity Framework Development Approaches

There are three main development approaches in Entity Framework: Database-First, Code-First, and Model-First.

  • Database-First: This approach involves creating a database first and then generating classes and mapping files based on the existing database.
  • Code-First: This approach involves creating classes and mapping files first and then generate a database based on the classes.
  • Model-First: This approach involves creating a conceptual model of the database and then generating the database and classes based on the model.

Basic Workflow in Entity Framework

  1. Create a new project and add the Entity Framework package.
  2. Create a context class to represent the database.
  3. Create entities that represent the data.
  4. Use the context class and entities to interact with the database.

Context Class in Entity Framework

The context class represents the database and is responsible for managing the connection to the database. It also provides methods to query and save data.

What Is an Entity in Entity Framework?

An entity in Entity Framework is a class that represents a table in the database. It contains properties that correspond to the columns in the table.

Types of Entities in Entity Framework

There are two types of entities in Entity Framework: POCO (Plain Old CLR Object) and Dynamic Proxy.

  • POCO entities: These are plain old C# classes that do not have any dependencies on the Entity Framework.
  • Dynamic Proxy entities: These are classes that are generated by the Entity Framework at runtime. They are used for change tracking and lazy loading.

Entity States

Entities in Entity Framework have a state that indicates their current status. The possible states are: Added, Unchanged, Modified, and Deleted.

Persistence in Entity Framework

Persistence in Entity Framework refers to the process of saving changes to the database. This can be done using the context class’s SaveChanges method.

In conclusion

C# Entity Framework is a powerful ORM framework that simplifies the development process of data-driven applications. It allows developers to interact with relational data using an object-oriented approach and provides numerous features.