Chapter 1, Introduction to Entity Framework, introduces the user to Entity Framework. We will show how a data-centric application can benefit from the Database First approach and a domain-centric application can benefit from a Model First or Code First approach.

Chapter 2, Entity Framework DB First – Managing Entity Relationships, discusses how relationships can be managed using Entity Framework (one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many).

Chapter 3, Entity Framework DB First – Performing Model Validations, discusses how model validations can be performed using the Entity Framework provided partial methods.

Chapter 4, Entity Framework DB First – Inheritance Relationships between Entities, discusses the Table per Type, Table per Hierarchy, and Table per Concrete Class inheritance relationships in Entity Framework.

Chapter 5, Entity Framework DB First – Using Views, Stored Procedures, and Functions, discusses how we can use Entity Framework with stored procedures and functions.

Chapter 6, Entity Framework Code First – Domain Modeling and Managing Entity Relationships, discusses how we can map the domain entities to the database tables. We will learn how to manage the relationships between models by using the Code First conventions and configurations.

Chapter 7, Entity Framework Code First – Managing Database Creation and Seeding Data, discusses how we can manage the database creation process and insert some dummy data into the database.

Chapter 8, Querying the Entity Data Model – LINQ to Entities, discusses how we can query the object model using LINQ to Entities.

Chapter 9, Querying the Object Model – Entity SQL, discusses how we can query the object model using Entity SQL

Chapter 10, Managing Concurrency Using Entity Framework, covers various concurrency management techniques using Entity Framework.

Chapter 11, Managing Transactions Using Entity Framework, discusses how to manage transactions using Entity Framework.

Chapter 12, Implementing a Small Blogging Platform Using Entity Framework, introduces a complete sample application using the Entity Framework Code First approach to demonstrate all the concepts in action.

The following software is required to complete the practice exercises:

This book is for .NET developers who develop data-driven applications using ADO.NET or other data access technologies. This book will give you everything you need to effectively develop and manage data-driven applications using Entity Framework.

In this book, you will find a number of text styles that distinguish between different kinds of information. Here are some examples of these styles and an explanation of their meaning.

Code words in text, database table names, folder names, filenames, file extensions, pathnames, dummy URLs, user input, and Twitter handles are shown as follows: "Using IQueryable, gives you a chance to create a complex LINQ query using multiple statements without executing the query at the database level."

A block of code is set as follows:

using(SampleDbEntities db = new SampleDbEntities())
{
   IEnumerable<Employee> employees = db.Employees
   .Where(employee => employee.LastName == "Singh");
}

When we wish to draw your attention to a particular part of a code block, the relevant lines or items are set in bold:

public partial class Role
{
    public Role()
    {
        Users = new HashSet<User>();
    }

    public int Id { get; set; }

    [Required]
    [StringLength(256)]
    public string Name { get; set; }

    public virtual ICollection<User> Users { get; set; }
}

New terms and important words are shown in bold. Words that you see on the screen, for example, in menus or dialog boxes, appear in the text like this: "Using this approach will check for concurrency issues for only those fields that are marked with Concurrency Mode as Fixed."

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