Powering Up with Erik Jensen: An Introduction to EF Core Power Tools
The Modern .NET Show
Enhancing Database Development with EF Core Power Tools
This chapter provides an overview of the MSBuild SDK SQL Prod project, focusing on empowering developers to build database schemas with code. It highlights the development and impact of EF Core Power Tools, a tool designed to simplify interaction with Entity Framework Core by offering features like scaffolding and reverse engineering. The discussion also touches on user feedback, future enhancements, and the tool's integration within Visual Studio and other IDEs.
This episode of The Modern .NET Show is supported, in part, by Metalama, reduce your boilerplate code by up to 15% with Metalama's C#-to-C# template engine and reduce your code complexity today!
Show NotesHi everyone,
Just a quick thing before we start: this episode was recorded in the middle of summer, which meant that Erik needed to have his office window open. It's possible to hear the outside traffic throughout, but rest assured that our editing team have done what they can to reduce it's presence.
It's not that noticable and shouldn't affect your enjoyment of the show, but I wanted to give you a heads-up. Also, do remember that there's a full transcription available at the show's website; so check that out, too.
Anyway, let's get to it.
"So, I think my mantra for creating things like these tools is, "should be easy to get started and there should be a like an easy happy path but then if you want to deep dive and do a lot of options or even a t4 templates you can also do that," but there should be a simple happy path with good error reporting if something fails."— Erik Jensen
Welcome friends to The Modern .NET Show; the premier .NET podcast, focussing entirely on the knowledge, tools, and frameworks that all .NET developers should have in their toolbox. We are the go-to podcast for .NET developers worldwide, and I am your host: Jamie "GaProgMan" Taylor.
In this episode, Erik Jensen joined us to talk about EF Core Power Tools, and how you can use his project to increase your productivity with EF Core-based databases, regardless of the database technology used; if it's supported by EF Core, then the Power Tools extension supports it to.
"The one that's definitely used the most is what in a tool is referred to as reverse engineering. Where you point to an existing database, which can be some of the database types I mentioned previously. Like SQL Server, as a SQL database, Postgres, Oracle, MySQL, and Firebird. And then the tool asks you for a number of options, like you can specify what namespaces you're using, and where the files are laid in your project, and many, many other options. And then when you press OK at that point, as you said, Jamie, the tool generates a DB context and some classes that represent your tables with navigations between the tables based on discovery of foreign key relationships."— Erik Jensen
We also briefly touched on the MSBuild.Sdk.SqlProj project and its goal of giving cross-platform .NET developers a way to both describe and build their ideal database schema in code. We also covered Erik's personal process for dealing with feature requests, and how developers can ensure that that are providing valueable feedback to open-source projects; a subject that will come up again soon with future guest Scott Harden.
Anyway, without further ado, let's sit back, open up a terminal, type in `dotnet new podcast` and we'll dive into the core of Modern .NET.
Supporting the ShowIf you find this episode useful in any way, please consider supporting the show by either leaving a review (check our review page for ways to do that), sharing the episode with a friend or colleague, buying the host a coffee, or considering becoming a Patron of the show.
Full Show NotesThe full show notes, including links to some of the things we discussed and a full transcription of this episode, can be found at: https://dotnetcore.show/season-7/powering-up-with-erik-jensen-an-introduction-to-ef-core-power-tools/
EF Core Power Tools ContributorsThe following list is correct as of Oct 4th, 2024, and aims to show that it takes a village to create a tool as ubiquitous as EF Core Power Tools. It contains the top 10 (arranged by number of contributions) devs who have worked on EF Core Power Tools.
- Erik Ejlskov Jensen
- Stephan Over
- Varorbc
- Will 保哥
- Pedro Rocha
- P. León
- Pratik Pote
- Emanuele Curati
- Jonathon Wyza
- EF Core Power Tools wiki
- EF Core Power Tools on GitHub
- Install EF Core Power Tools as a .NET global tool
- XKCD: Dependency
- DacFx
- MSBuild.Sdk.SqlProj
- Episode 19 - The .NET Foundation with Jon Galloway
- Connect with Erik on GitHub
- Connect with Erik on X
- Erik's blog
- Music created by Mono Memory Music, licensed to RJJ Software for use in The Modern .NET Show
Remember to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Podchaser, or wherever you find your podcasts, this will help the show's audience grow. Or you can just share the show with a friend.
And don't forget to reach out via our Contact page. We're very interested in your opinion of the show, so please get in touch.
You can support the show by making a monthly donation on the show's Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/TheDotNetCorePodcast.
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
