How do i update DBContext & pocos after DB schema change?

Question

I've always used the edmx file approach and just run "update from database". Now i am using Code first from existing database.

When the DBA changes the database schema, how do I update my dbcontext file and POCOs to match? Is that what migrations are for? Do I just delete everything int he models folder and re-create?

Personally I just create the classes manually, and edit existing ones if required. It's called 'code-first' because normally you'd make the code changes first, then update the DB accordingly. — akerra
– akerra, Commented Oct 9, 2017 at 18:22
So should i not do code first if I dont have control of the db? — BattlFrog
– BattlFrog, Commented Oct 9, 2017 at 18:37

David Browne - Microsoft · Accepted Answer · 2017-10-09 18:49:13Z

1

"Code-First" has two different meanings in EF. It's both a Modeling workflow and a Mapping style. You can do Code-First Mapping with Database-First Modeling. You simply regenerate your entity types after changing the database, or change them manually to match the database change. This is what's called "Code-First From and Existing Database"

answered Oct 9, 2017 at 18:49

David Browne - Microsoft

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4 Comments

BattlFrog Over a year ago

"You simply regenerate your entity types after changing the database" How do I do this part? 1. Delete the dbcontext file, the auto-generated pocos then 2. Right click > add ado entity thingy >code first from existing, etc etc?

David Browne - Microsoft Over a year ago

Yep. Or do that into a separate project and then move them to your main project.

BattlFrog Over a year ago

Cool, thanks. Is it a bad idea to do code first if I dont have control of the DB? I am not allowed to make schema changes. I switched to code first because the edmx file always seemed so big and code first just seems "lighter". That is the only reason I switched.

David Browne - Microsoft Over a year ago

Code first to an existing database is my favorite way to use EF. You're spot-on about the "lightness", and it's the only way to do Database-First Modeling in EF Core. Customizing the mapping between your objects and database is just so much easier with attributes/fluent/etc. And EDMX mapping complicated and IMO not worth learning.

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