Entity Framework Resources

Entity Framework introductory topics can be found in the following locations. Many of these topics also contain links to related topics that contain more detailed information.

• Introducing the Entity Framework
  Discusses the rationale behind the creation of the Entity Framework and how it facilitates creating and maintaining data-aware applications.

• Getting Started (Entity Framework)
  Explains how the various Entity Framework technologies work together, as illustrated by the Quickstart (Entity Framework).

• Entity Data Model
  Topics in this section describe various aspects of working with an Entity Data Model (EDM).

  • Data Modeling in the Entity Framework

  • EDM Specifications

  • Schemas and Mapping Specification (Entity Framework)

  • Implementing Entities (EDM)

  • Implementing Associations (EDM)

• Entity Framework Terminology
  Describes Entity Framework features and provides a guide to terminology.

• Programming Guide (Entity Framework)
  Provides a task-based approach to creating Entity Framework applications.

Creating Entity Framework Applications

The following topics provide information for developers creating Entity Framework applications.

• Application Scenarios (Entity Framework)
  Provides links to topics that are relevant to specific application scenarios.

• Entity Framework Tasks
  Contains links to how-to topics for performing tasks such as executing object queries and working with stored procedures.

• Quickstart (Entity Framework)
  Quickstart tutorial for getting up and running with the Entity Framework.

• EDM Generator (EdmGen.exe)
  Describes how to use EdmGen.exe, the command-line utility used for generating and working with conceptual schema definition language (CSDL), store schema definition language (SSDL), and mapping specification language (MSL) files.

• Samples (Entity Framework)
  The topics in this section describe implementations of the Entity Data Model and provide sample applications illustrating various scenarios.

Entity Framework Technologies

The following topics provide detailed conceptual information on Entity Framework technologies.

• Feature Reference (Entity Framework)
  Contains links to topics describing the Entity Data Model, Object Services and LINQ to Entities.

• Entity Data Model
  The topics in this section describe how to create and use an Entity Data Model.

  • Data Modeling in the Entity Framework

  • EDM Specifications

  • Schemas and Mapping Specification (Entity Framework)

  • ADO.NET Metadata

  • EDM Generator (EdmGen.exe)

• Object Services (Entity Framework)
  The topics in this section describe how to use Object Services to query and modify the objects generated from an Entity Data Model.

  • Object Services Overview (Entity Framework)

  • Querying Data as Objects (Entity Framework)

  • Working with Objects (Entity Framework)

  • Managing the Object Context (Entity Framework)

  • Customizing Objects (Entity Framework)

• LINQ to Entities
  The topics in this section describe the new Language-Integrated Query (LINQ) functionality incorporated into the Entity Framework.

  • LINQ to Entities Overview

  • Querying with LINQ to Entities

  • Reference (LINQ to Entities)

• Entity SQL Language
  The topics in this section include the Entity SQL Overview and the Entity SQL Reference.

• Entity Services and Data Providers (Entity Framework)
  The topics in this section describe the EntityClient provider, connection strings, and the .NET Framework data provider for SQL Server.

External Resources

The following external resources provide additional information and support for creating Entity Framework applications.

• Entity Framework FAQ
  Blog containing frequently asked questions about the Entity Framework.

• Data Access and Storage Developer Center
  Central location for finding information and resources for working with data.

• Data Platform How Do I? Videos: Entity Framework Series
  Contains a set of video screen casts that demonstrate how to build applications by using various components of the Entity Framework.

• ADO.NET Team Blog
  Blog containing updates and discussion of ADO.NET features and functionality.

• Data Programmability Team Blog
  Updates and discussion of data programmability in general.

• ADO.NET Forum
  Data programming support for Visual Studio 2008, .NET Framework 3.5, Entity Framework, and LINQ developers.

• .NET Framework Data Access and Storage Forum
  Support for data programmability in general.

• ADO.NET Entity Framework Providers
  List of the third-party providers that are currently available for the Entity Framework.

• CodePlex
  Microsoft's open source project hosting Web site.

• The Entity-Relationship Model: Toward a Unified View of Data by Peter Pin-Shan Chen, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  Written in 1976, this is one of the most frequently cited papers in the computer field.

• Next-Generation Data Access: Making the Conceptual Level Real by José Blakeley, David Campbell, Jim Gray, S. Muralidhar, and Anil Nori
  An introduction to eliminating the impedance mismatch in applications and data services by raising the level of abstraction from the logical (relational) level to the conceptual (entity) level.

See Also

Concepts

Introducing the Entity Framework
Entity Framework Terminology

Other Resources

Getting Started (Entity Framework)
Application Scenarios (Entity Framework)
Entity Data Model Tools