Entity Framework Core Migrations

Database migrations let you evolve your database schema over time while preserving existing data. This guide walks you through creating, applying, and managing migrations in an ASP.NET Core project.

1️⃣ Add the EF Core Tools

dotnet add package Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Design
dotnet tool install --global dotnet-ef

2️⃣ Create Your First Migration

After defining your DbContext and entity classes, run:

dotnet ef migrations add InitialCreate

3️⃣ Apply the Migration

Use dotnet ef database update to apply pending migrations to the database.

dotnet ef database update

4️⃣ Common Scenarios

Add a new column: add the property to the entity, then run dotnet ef migrations add AddNewColumn.
Rename a column: use RenameColumn in a custom migration for zero‑downtime.
Remove a column: delete the property, create a migration, and optionally add a default value.

5️⃣ Managing Migration History

EF Core stores migration history in the __EFMigrationsHistory table. You can view it with:

dotnet ef migrations list

💡 Tips & Best Practices

Commit migration files to source control.
Never edit a migration after it’s been applied to production.
Separate schema changes from data migrations for clarity.
Use dotnet ef migrations script to generate SQL scripts for CI/CD pipelines.

📚 Further Reading

Explore more advanced topics: