Programming Entity Framework

Get a thorough introduction to ADO.NET Entity Framework 4 -- Microsoft's core framework for modeling and interacting with data in .NET applications. The second edition of this acclaimed guide provides a hands-on tour of the framework latest version in Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4. Not only will you learn how to use EF4 in a variety of applications, you'll also gain a deep understanding of its architecture and APIs. Written by Julia Lerman, the leading independent authority on the framework, Programming Entity Framework covers it all -- from the Entity Data Model and Object Services to WCF Services, MVC Apps, and unit testing. This book highlights important changes for experienced developers familiar with the earlier version. Understand the core concepts you need to make the best use of the EF4 in your applications Learn to query your data, using either LINQ to Entities or Entity SQL Create Windows Forms, WPF, ASP.NET Web Forms, and ASP.NET MVC applications Build and consume WCF Services, WCF Data Services, and WCF RIA Services Use Object Services to work directly with your entity objects Create persistent ignorant entities, repositories, and write unit tests Delve into model customization, relationship management, change tracking, data concurrency, and more Get scores of reusable examples -- written in C# (with notes on Visual Basic syntax) -- that you can implement right away

If you use Entity Framework in Visual Studio 2008 and .NET 3.5, this is the book you want. Programming Entity Framework, 1st Edition offers experienced developers a thorough introduction to Microsoft's core framework for modeling and interacting with data in .NET applications. This hands-on tour provides a deep understanding of Entity Framework's architecture and APIs, and explains how to use the framework in a variety of applications built with Visual Studio 2008 and .NET 3.5. From the Entity Data Model (EDM) and Object Services to EntityClient and the Metadata Workspace, this highly acclaimed first edition covers it all. Understand the core concepts you need to make the best use of the Entity Framework (EF) in your applications Learn to query your data, using either LINQ to Entities or Entity SQL Create Windows Forms, WPF, and ASP.NET applications Build ASMX web services and WCF services Use Object Services to work directly with your entity objects Delve into model customization, relationship management, change tracking, data concurrency, and more One important note: while many of the lessons from this book will continue to be valuable as you move to .NET 4, the thoroughly revised second edition of Programming Entity Framework (August 2010) specifically targets Visual Studio 2010 and .NET 4 -- where there have been many advancements and additions to the framework.

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.

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.

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

Your hands-on guide to Entity Framework fundamentals Expand your expertise—and teach yourself the fundamentals of the Microsoft ADO.NET Entity Framework 5. If you have previous programming experience but are new to the Entity Framework, this tutorial delivers the step-by-step guidance and coding exercises you need to master core topics and techniques. Discover how to: Access data in a managed way—using minimal code Apply three workflows supported by the Entity Framework Perform essential tasks with full automation in place Manipulate data with both LINQ and Entity SQL Create examples that rely on Table-Valued Functions Determine the remedies for Entity-specific exceptions Explore the use of optimistic and pessimistic concurrency Define mappings between your applications and data sources

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.