Entity Framework Core

A complete Entity Framework Core path from DbContext and model mapping through LINQ translation, change tracking, migrations, concurrency, transactions, provider-specific behavior, diagnostics, testing, security, multi-tenancy, performance, and production architecture.

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25chapters

125lesson paths

Intermediate → Advancedlearning level

Publishedcourse state

Coverage baselineEF Core 10 LTS on .NET 10, with relational provider portability

Course brief

Turn an ORM into a predictable data-access layer, not a black box.

This syllabus deliberately separates foundations, data modeling, query behavior, internals, reliability, security, performance, operations, and production design so advanced material is not compressed into generic catch-all chapters.

By the end

You will be able to

Design precise EF Core models using conventions, Fluent API, relationships, complex types, conversions, inheritance, and provider-aware mappings
Write LINQ that translates predictably, choose loading and tracking strategies deliberately, and diagnose generated SQL
Manage schema evolution with migrations, reverse engineering, seeding, deployment scripts, and compatibility controls
Handle concurrency, transactions, retries, multi-tenancy, security, testing, and observability without hiding database semantics
Tune and operate EF Core in production using projections, batching, pooling, compiled artifacts, interceptors, provider-specific features, and evidence-based performance work

Complete syllabus

25 chapters · 125 lessons.

Every lesson path was reserved in the planned syllabus and is now linked because its lesson HTML is available. The sequence moves from foundations through advanced implementation, architecture, operations, reliability, security, tuning, and a production capstone.

Chapter 1

EF Core Foundations, .NET Integration, Providers, and the First Lab

5 lessons

Where EF Core Fits: ORM Responsibilities, Relational Boundaries, and When Direct SQL Still MattersPublished lesson · Chapter01/Lesson1.html

Entity Framework Core

Turn an ORM into a predictable data-access layer, not a black box.

You will be able to

25 chapters · 125 lessons.

EF Core Foundations, .NET Integration, Providers, and the First Lab

DbContext Lifecycle, Configuration, Dependency Injection, Factories, and Pooling

Model Building: Conventions, Data Annotations, Fluent API, and Metadata

Keys, Indexes, Property Semantics, Value Generation, and Shadow State

Relationships, Navigations, Cascade Behavior, and Many-to-Many Modeling

Complex Types, Owned Types, JSON Mapping, Conversions, Comparers, and Encapsulation

Inheritance, Table Splitting, Entity Splitting, and Advanced Relational Mapping

LINQ Query Fundamentals and the EF Translation Pipeline

Advanced LINQ: Joins, Grouping, Subqueries, Set Operations, and Raw SQL Composition

Loading Related Data: Eager, Explicit, Lazy, Filtered Include, and Split Queries

Change Tracking, Entity States, Identity Resolution, and Disconnected Graphs

Saving Data: Insert, Update, Delete, Batching, ExecuteUpdate, and ExecuteDelete

Optimistic Concurrency and Conflict Resolution

Transactions, Savepoints, Execution Strategies, and Cross-Context Coordination

Migrations, Model Snapshots, Seeding, Scripts, Bundles, and Deployment

Reverse Engineering and Database-First Workflows

Performance Engineering: Query Shape, Compiled Artifacts, Pooling, and Database Evidence

Diagnostics, Logging, Interceptors, Metrics, and Observability

SQL Server and Azure SQL Provider Deep Dive

SQLite Provider Deep Dive and Embedded-Database Constraints

PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Cross-Provider Portability

Global Query Filters, Multi-Tenancy, Soft Delete, and Data Partitioning

Testing EF Core Correctly: Unit, Integration, Containers, and Migration Verification

Security, Raw SQL, Secrets, Authorization Boundaries, and Abuse Resistance

Production Architecture, DDD/CQRS Integration, Reliability, and Capstone