Entity Framework Core (EF Core) is a lightweight, extensible, and open-source Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) framework by Microsoft. It is a successor to Entity Framework and is designed to be used with .NET Core.
EF Core allows developers to interact with databases using strongly-typed .NET objects. It provides an abstraction layer that simplifies database access and allows developers to work with entities, relationships, and queries using familiar object-oriented concepts.
Some key features of EF Core include:
1. Model First and Code First: EF Core supports both model-first and code-first development approaches. Developers can either create a database schema and generate classes from it, or define classes and have the framework create the database schema automatically.
2. Querying: EF Core supports LINQ (Language Integrated Query) for querying databases. This allows developers to write type-safe queries using C# or other .NET languages.
3. Migrations: EF Core offers a migration framework that simplifies the process of evolving database schemas over time. Developers can write code-based migrations to create, update, or revert database schema changes.
4. Providers: EF Core is designed to be extensible and supports various database providers. Microsoft ships EF Core with providers for common databases like SQL Server, SQLite, MySQL, and PostgreSQL. Additionally, there are community-supported providers for other databases.
5. Performance: EF Core is built with performance in mind and offers options for optimizing database access. This includes features like eager loading, lazy loading, and query optimizations.
6. Cross-platform: EF Core is cross-platform and can run on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is also compatible with multiple .NET platforms, including .NET Core and .NET Framework.
Overall, EF Core provides a powerful and flexible way to work with databases in .NET Core applications. It simplifies data access and allows developers to focus on writing business logic instead of dealing with low-level database operations.