Introduction of Entity Framework

1. Version

    - 3.5

    - 4

    - 4.1

    - 4.1.1

    - 4.2

    - 4.3

    - 4.3.1

    - 4.5

    - 4.6 

2. What is Entity Framework.

So let’s see standard definition of Entity Framework given by Microsoft:

The Microsoft ADO.NET Entity Framework is an Object/Relational Mapping (ORM) framework that enables developers to work with relational data as domain-specific objects, eliminating the need for most of the data access plumbing code that developers usually need to write. Using the Entity Framework, developers issue queries using LINQ, then retrieve and manipulate data as strongly typed objects. The Entity Framework’s ORM implementation provides services like change tracking, identity resolution, lazy loading, and query translation so that developers can focus on their application-specific business logic rather than the data access fundamentals.

To simply say it: Entity framework is an Object/Relational Mapping (O/RM) framework. It is an enhancement to ADO.NET that gives developers an automated mechanism for accessing & storing the data in the database and working with the results in addition to DataReader and DataSet.

Benefits:

1. Applications can work in terms of a more application-centric conceptual model, including types with inheritance, complex members, and relationships.

2. Applications are freed from hard-coded dependencies on a particular data engine or storage schema.

3. Mappings between the conceptual model and the storage-specific schema can change without changing the application code.

4. Developers can work with a consistent application object model that can be mapped to various storage schemas, possibly implemented in different database management systems.

5. Multiple conceptual models can be mapped to a single storage schema.

6. Language-integrated query (LINQ) support provides compile-time syntax validation for queries against a conceptual model.