Point of Entity Framework configurations when using an existing database?

Question

What is the point of specifying configurations (either via data annotations or the fluent API) for Entity Framework if you working with an existing database?

If the database doesn't already exist, then I know the configurations are used to help generate the database (correctly).

Entity Framework can also perform a validation on-demand or prior to saving changes back to the database...and it presumably it uses the configurations for this as well.

Does Entity Framework use the configurations any other reason?

Rahul · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-13 14:30:19Z

1

Yes, creating the DB if not already exists using code first approach is altogether a different approach but the model you create using configuration in your application acts as a logical model same as DB which in turn used as a data access layer for your application. So that, all the transactions like insert/update/delete can happen seamlessly between your application and DB.

answered Jun 13, 2016 at 14:30

Rahul

78.1k14 gold badges80 silver badges132 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

4 Comments

Tyson Williams Over a year ago

By "which in turn can be used as a data access layer for your application", do you mean that this information is available in the MetadataWorkspace?

Tyson Williams Over a year ago

In "So that, all the transactions like insert/update/delete can happen seamlessly between your application and DB", what do you mean by "seamlessly"?

Rahul Over a year ago

@TysonWilliams, means, say while inserting/deleting if their is a FK present and if you have configured it, then it can act accordingly to maintain the integrity. Forget about EF, even if you are using normal ADO.NET (probably using typed dataset), you have to specify this in code. In case of EF you do it either using fluent API (or) declaratively using data-annotations.

Tyson Williams Over a year ago

Oh, I think I understand (better) what you are saying. Let me repeat it back to you. Configuration allows you to specify which the FK relationships. EF needs to know these so that it deletes and inserts in the correct order in order to obey the constraints.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Point of Entity Framework configurations when using an existing database?

1 Answer 1

4 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

4 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related