Entity Framework Code-First is an approach in Entity Framework, a popular Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) framework for .NET, that allows developers to define and create a database schema based on their C# code rather than starting with an existing database schema. This approach empowers developers to focus on their application’s domain model and business logic, abstracting away the complexities of database design and management.
Here are the key concepts and steps involved in Entity Framework Code-First:
- Domain Classes: In Code-First, you begin by creating C# classes that represent your application’s domain model. These classes define the structure and relationships of your data entities.
- DbContext: Next, you create a special class known as a `DbContext`. This class acts as a bridge between your domain classes and the database. It contains a `DbSet` property for each domain class, which serves as an entry point for database operations.
- Configuration: Entity Framework Code-First provides a fluent API for configuring how your domain classes map to the database. You can specify details like table names, column names, relationships, and constraints.
- Migrations: As your application evolves, you can use Entity Framework Migrations to manage changes to the database schema. Migrations enable you to update the database schema to match the changes in your code without losing existing data.
- Database Initialization: Entity Framework Code-First supports various database initialization strategies, such as creating a new database if it doesn’t exist, or seeding the database with initial data during application startup.
- LINQ Queries: You can perform database operations using LINQ queries and the `DbSet` properties defined in your `DbContext`. Entity Framework translates these queries into SQL queries to interact with the database.
Entity Framework Code-First promotes a code-centric approach to database development, allowing developers to work primarily with C# code while maintaining a high level of control over the database schema. This approach is especially beneficial in agile development scenarios, where requirements change frequently, as it simplifies the process of evolving the database schema alongside the application code.
