Curriculum
Entity Framework Core Fundamentals are essential for modern .NET development because Entity Framework Core (EF Core) is Microsoft’s most popular Object Relational Mapper (ORM) for building database-driven applications. Instead of writing large amounts of SQL code manually, developers can use Entity Framework Core Fundamentals to interact with databases using C# objects and LINQ queries.
Entity Framework Core Fundamentals are heavily used in ASP.NET Core Applications, Web APIs, E-Commerce Platforms, Banking Applications, ERP Systems, CRM Solutions, Hospital Management Systems, School Management Systems, Cloud Applications, and Enterprise Software Systems.
Understanding Entity Framework Core Fundamentals is critical because most modern .NET projects rely on Entity Framework Core for data access.
Entity Framework Core (EF Core) is a lightweight, open-source, cross-platform ORM developed by Microsoft.
ORM stands for:
Object Relational MapperEF Core acts as a bridge between:
C# Objects
↓
Database TablesDevelopers work with objects while EF Core handles database operations automatically.
Entity Framework Core provides:
Most modern ASP.NET Core applications use EF Core.
Write SQL Queries
Manage Connections
Handle Readers
Manual MappingUse C# Objects
Use LINQ
Automatic Mapping
Automatic Change TrackingEF Core significantly simplifies development.
ORM stands for:
Object Relational MappingORM maps:
Studentsto
public class Student
{
}Each record becomes an object.
Database Table:
| StudentId | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Rahul |
| 2 | Amit |
C# Object:
Student student =
new Student
{
StudentId = 1,
Name = "Rahul"
};EF Core performs the mapping automatically.
Package Manager:
Install-Package
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCoreSQL Server Provider:
Install-Package
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServerTools Package:
Install-Package
Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.ToolsThese packages are required for EF Core development.
Main components:
DbContext
DbSet
Entities
LINQ
MigrationsThese form the foundation of EF Core.
An Entity represents a database table.
Example:
public class Student
{
public int Id
{
get;
set;
}
public string Name
{
get;
set;
}
public string Course
{
get;
set;
}
}This class represents a Students table.
Properties represent table columns.
Example:
Id
Name
CourseDatabase Table:
| Id | Name | Course |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rahul | .NET |
Properties automatically map to columns.
DbContext is the most important EF Core class.
Purpose:
Database Connection
Change Tracking
Query Execution
Data SavingDbContext manages all database operations.
Example:
using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;Context:
public class
ApplicationDbContext :
DbContext
{
}This class becomes the database gateway.
DbSet represents a table.
Example:
public DbSet<Student>
Students
{
get;
set;
}Meaning:
Students TableEF Core automatically maps the entity.
Example:
public class
ApplicationDbContext :
DbContext
{
public DbSet<Student>
Students
{
get;
set;
}
}This configuration enables database access.
Example:
protected override
void OnConfiguring(
DbContextOptionsBuilder
optionsBuilder)
{
optionsBuilder
.UseSqlServer(
connectionString);
}This connects EF Core to SQL Server.
Program.cs:
builder.Services
.AddDbContext<
ApplicationDbContext>(
options =>
options.UseSqlServer(
connectionString));This is the recommended ASP.NET Core approach.
Example:
Student student =
new Student
{
Name = "Rahul",
Course = ".NET"
};Add:
context.Students.Add(
student);Save:
context.SaveChanges();Output:
Record InsertedEF Core generates SQL automatically.
EF Core internally creates:
INSERT INTO Students
(
Name,
Course
)
VALUES
(
'Rahul',
'.NET'
)Developers do not need to write SQL manually.
Example:
var students =
context.Students
.ToList();Output:
All StudentsEF Core converts the query into SQL automatically.
Example:
Student student =
context.Students
.Find(1);Output:
RahulFind retrieves records by primary key.
Retrieve:
Student student =
context.Students
.Find(1);Modify:
student.Name =
"Rahul Sharma";Save:
context.SaveChanges();Output:
Record UpdatedChange tracking handles updates automatically.
Retrieve:
Student student =
context.Students
.Find(1);Delete:
context.Students.Remove(
student);Save:
context.SaveChanges();Output:
Record DeletedEF Core generates the required SQL.
EF Core automatically tracks object changes.
Example:
student.Name =
"Updated Name";EF Core remembers the modification.
When:
context.SaveChanges();is called:
UPDATE Query GeneratedThis simplifies development.
Example:
var students =
context.Students
.Where(
s => s.Course == ".NET")
.ToList();Generated SQL:
SELECT *
FROM Students
WHERE Course='.NET'LINQ is one of EF Core’s most powerful features.
Example:
Student student =
context.Students
.FirstOrDefault(
s => s.Id == 1);Output:
Student ObjectFrequently used in enterprise applications.
Example:
int total =
context.Students
.Count();Output:
Total StudentsUseful for dashboards and reports.
Less SQL coding required.
Code becomes cleaner.
Compile-time validation.
Powerful querying capabilities.
Reduces repetitive code.
These benefits make EF Core the preferred ORM.
Customer Records
Transactions
Account ManagementProducts
Orders
PaymentsPatients
Doctors
AppointmentsStudents
Courses
ResultsEF Core powers these systems efficiently.
Can cause resource leaks.
Affects performance.
Reduces scalability.
Can affect performance.
May lead to unexpected behavior.
Entity Framework Core is Microsoft’s modern ORM for .NET applications.
ORM maps database tables to C# objects.
DbContext manages database operations and change tracking.
DbSet represents a database table.
EF Core automatically tracks object modifications.
It simplifies database access and improves productivity.
Entity Framework Core is an ORM that simplifies database programming in .NET applications.
DbContext is the primary class responsible for database communication and change tracking.
DbSet represents a database table.
ORM stands for Object Relational Mapping and maps database tables to C# objects.
Yes, EF Core converts LINQ and object operations into SQL queries automatically.
They help developers build scalable, maintainable, and database-driven applications efficiently.