Generate Models from SQL Server using Entity Framework Core

To generate models from SQL Server database tables using Entity Framework (EF) in .NET, you can follow the Database-First approach with Entity Framework Core. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Steps to Generate Models from SQL Server Tables in EF Core:

1. Install Entity Framework Core NuGet Packages:

   Open the Package Manager Console or NuGet Package Manager in Visual Studio, and install the following packages:

   • For SQL Server support:

     mathematica
     Install-Package Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer  

   • For tools to scaffold the database:

     mathematica
     Install-Package Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools  

2. Add Connection String in appsettings.json:

   In the appsettings.json file, add your SQL Server connection string:

   json
   {    "ConnectionStrings": {      "DefaultConnection": "Server=your_server;Database=your_database;User Id=your_username;Password=your_password;"    }  }  

3. Scaffold the Models Using Database-First Approach:

   In the Package Manager Console, run the following command to scaffold the models and DbContext based on your SQL Server database:

   bash
   Scaffold-DbContext "Your_Connection_String" Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer -OutputDir Models  

   Replace "Your_Connection_String" with the actual connection string or the name from appsettings.json. For example:

   bash
   Scaffold-DbContext "Server=your_server;Database=your_database;User Id=your_username;Password=your_password;" Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer -OutputDir Models  

   This command will generate the entity classes (models) corresponding to your database tables and a DbContext class in the Models folder.

   • Additional Options:
     • -Tables: Scaffold specific tables.
     • -Schemas: Include specific schemas.
     • -Context: Set a specific name for the DbContext class.
     • -Force: Overwrite existing files.

   Example of scaffolding specific tables:

   bash
   Scaffold-DbContext "Your_Connection_String" Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer -OutputDir Models -Tables Table1,Table2  

4. Use the Generated DbContext:

   Once the models are generated, you can use the DbContext class to interact with the database in your code.

   In your Startup.cs or Program.cs (for .NET 6+), add the DbContext service:

   csharp
   public class Startup  {      public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)      {          services.AddDbContext<YourDbContext>(options =>              options.UseSqlServer(Configuration.GetConnectionString("DefaultConnection")));      }  }  

   Replace YourDbContext with the name of the generated context.

5. Use the Models in Your Code:

   Now, you can use the DbContext to query and save data. For example:

   csharp
   public class YourService  {      private readonly YourDbContext _context;        public YourService(YourDbContext context)      {          _context = context;      }        public async Task<List<YourEntity>> GetAllEntities()      {          return await _context.YourEntities.ToListAsync();      }  }  

That's it! You've now generated models from SQL Server tables using Entity Framework Core in .NET.