.NET Core Concepts – Data Access

Introduction

Data access is a core part of any .NET application. This guide explores the primary mechanisms available when building .NET Core applications, helping you choose the right tool for your scenario.

Data Access Options

Entity Framework Core (EF Core) – A full‑featured ORM with LINQ support.
ADO.NET – Low‑level, high‑performance data access using DbConnection and DbCommand.
Dapper – A lightweight micro‑ORM that extends ADO.NET with object mapping.

Entity Framework Core

EF Core provides a high‑level abstraction for database interactions, enabling developers to work with strongly typed objects and LINQ queries.

using var context = new BloggingContext();
var posts = await context.Posts
    .Where(p => p.Published)
    .OrderByDescending(p => p.PublishedDate)
    .ToListAsync();

Key features:

Change tracking
Migrations for schema evolution
Query caching & compiled queries

ADO.NET

When ultimate control and performance are required, ADO.NET gives you direct access to the database driver.

using var connection = new SqlConnection(connectionString);
await connection.OpenAsync();

using var command = new SqlCommand("SELECT Title FROM Posts WHERE Published = @p", connection);
command.Parameters.AddWithValue("@p", true);

using var reader = await command.ExecuteReaderAsync();
while (await reader.ReadAsync())
{
    Console.WriteLine(reader.GetString(0));
}

Consider ADO.NET for:

Batch operations
Complex stored procedures
Scenarios where EF Core overhead is too high

Dapper

Dapper offers a sweet spot between raw ADO.NET and a full ORM, delivering fast object mapping with minimal configuration.

using var connection = new SqlConnection(connectionString);
var posts = await connection.QueryAsync<Post>(
    "SELECT * FROM Posts WHERE Published = @Published",
    new { Published = true });

Typical use‑cases:

Read‑heavy APIs
Micro‑services where payload size matters
Projects that already use ADO.NET extensively

Choosing the Right Approach

Scenario	Recommended
Simple CRUD with relational model	EF Core
High‑throughput read‑only API	Dapper
Complex stored procedures & bulk inserts	ADO.NET

.NET Core – Data Access