Navigating through various methodologies to enhance efficiency and clarity in project development, the Code First Approach in MVC stands out as a transformative strategy for software developers. This approach significantly impacts the conception and implementation of database designs within web applications. Traditionally, database schemas were predefined, requiring developers to adapt their code to fit. However, the Code First Approach in MVC reverses this process, allowing developers to define database schemas directly through code, streamlining the development process. This method facilitates a more intuitive development experience and empowers developers to maintain control over the database structure, enabling adjustments as needed without being constrained by a pre-existing database schema.
In this article, I aim to simplify the Code First Approach in MVC, sharing insights on when and how to employ this strategy effectively. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or aspiring to join the field, understanding this approach can refine your project development workflow.
What is Code First Approach?
Code first approach in MVC gets introduced with Entity Framework 4.1. The code first approach is used in the domain-driven design mainly. In this approach, the application domain is considering. The classes are created according to the domain entity instead of the database. After that, the studies have made that match the database design. The diagram below illustrates the code first approach in MVC.
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Code First Approach in MVC
As clear from the figure, the entity framework creates or updates the database depending upon the domain classes. Hence, the user needs to code first, and then the entity framework will create the database using the code. That is why it is called the code first approach.
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Code First Workflow
The code first approach in MVC follows the workflow with the below steps:
- Create the domain-driven classes
- Configure the domain classes created
- Update or create the database to the domain classes.
The configuration of domain classes occurs using the Fluent API, and the database update is done using the automated migration.
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When to Use the Code First Approach in MVC?
- When the database is to be created.
- When the application is to be made from scratch.
- When the operations, such as creation and deletion of views, tables, and stored procedures.
- When a database has many tables, stored procedures, and ideas.
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Before, Introduce code first approach in MVC, used DB First approach commonly. The DB first approach has its advantages and can be preferred over the code first approach in the below cases:
- When the database is already created in the project.
- When the project does not involve many updates in the tables or views.
- When the project is small.
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How to Use Code First Approach in MVC?
Before using the code first approach, there are some steps to complete as given below:
1. Create a blank database
- Open the SQL server and connect with the database server.
- In object explorer, right-click on the Database option to create a new database.
2. Create MVC Project
- Navigate to File > New Project > Visual C# > ASP .Net Web Application
- Enter a name for the solution and project and click Ok.
- Click on MVC and change the authentication option to Individual User Accounts.
3. Create the Class Library Project
- Add a new project by right-clicking on the Solution Explorer.
- Navigate to Visual C# > Windows > Class Library and give the project name as ABC.DAL
4. Add Entity Framework to the DAL project created in the previous step.
- Navigate to DAL Project > Manage NuGet Packages > abc.DAL.
- Browse and install the Entity framework.
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5. Code First Approach Implementation
Consider the example of an office having many employees working in multiple different departments. If the project involves creating an application for this office, any employee’s information can be viewed and updated. Using the code first approach, the classes will get designed for the office domain first. Consider the two types of Employee and Department, where each employee gets linked to one department.
Create the Employee class as below:
Public Class Employee {
Public int EmpId { get; set; }
Public string EmpName { get; set; }
Public float Age { get; set; }
Public DateTime DateOfJoining { get; set; }
Public float ExpInYears { get; set; }
Public Department Department { get; set; }
}
Create the Department class as below:
Public class Department {
Public int DeptId { get; set; }
Public string DeptName { get; set; }
Public ICollection<Employee> Employee { get; set; }
}
Code first uses the DbContext class to derive the context class. The context class exposes the DBSet, which is the collection of entity classes. The code for the creation of context class is as below:
Namespace EF6Console {
Public class OfficeContext: DbContext {
Public OfficeContext(): base()
{
}
Public DbSet<Employee> Employee { get; set; }
Public DbSet<Department> Department { get; Set; }
}
}
Now as context class is created, add employee using it as below:
Namespace EF6Console {
Class ExProgram {
Static void main(string[], args) {
using(var obj = newOfficeContext())
{
Var emp = new Employee() { EmployeeName = “Peter” };
Obj.Employee.Add(emp);
Obj.SaveChanges();
}
}
}
}
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6. Reference DAL Project to UI Project
- Add reference by right-clicking the References of UI Project.
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7. Enable Migration
- Navigate to Tools > Package Manager > Manage NuGet Packages for Solution and run the below commands:
Enable-Migrations
Add-migration Initial Create
Update-database
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8. Add Controller
- Navigate to Controller > Add > New Controller and select the MVC 5 Controller with views, using Entity Framework.
- Select the model class, context class, and layout page.
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Conclusion
The Code First Approach in MVC represents a paradigm shift in how developers interact with databases in the Model-View-Controller architecture. It empowers developers to focus on the application’s domain model by defining database schemas directly through code rather than traditional database-first methodologies. This approach streamlines the development process, enhances agility, and facilitates a more intuitive alignment between the database layer and application logic. When considering the Code First Approach in MVC, it’s crucial to assess project requirements, team expertise, and the need for flexibility in database design. Implementing this approach effectively requires a solid understanding of entity framework conventions, data annotations, and fluent API configurations. By leveraging the Code First Approach, developers can achieve higher productivity and maintainability in MVC applications, making it an invaluable strategy for modern web development.
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