Dev Dotnet Efcore

EF Core Optimization

Query optimization, change tracking, and migration best practices for Entity Framework Core.

Stack: C#/.NET (EF Core 8+)

When to Use

• Slow database queries or API responses
• EF Core code review (new repositories, query changes)
• Planning EF Core migrations
• Investigating N+1 query patterns in Aspire traces

Core Principle

Measure before optimizing. Use SQL logging or Aspire distributed traces to identify actual bottlenecks. Don't optimize queries that aren't slow.

Query Optimization Checklist

Run through these checks for any EF Core data access code:

1. Enable SQL Logging (development only)

optionsBuilder
    .LogTo(Console.WriteLine, LogLevel.Information)
    .EnableSensitiveDataLogging()  // Shows parameter values
    .EnableDetailedErrors();       // Better error messages

2. Check for N+1 Queries

Bad — loads related data in a loop:

var orders = await db.Orders.ToListAsync();
foreach (var order in orders)
{
    var items = order.Items; // Lazy load = 1 query per order!
}

Fix — eager load with Include:

var orders = await db.Orders
    .Include(o => o.Items)
    .ToListAsync();

3. Check for Over-Fetching

Bad — loads entire entity when only 2 fields needed:

var users = await db.Users.ToListAsync();
return users.Select(u => new { u.Name, u.Email });

Fix — project at the database level:

var users = await db.Users
    .Select(u => new { u.Name, u.Email })
    .ToListAsync();

4. Check for Client-Side Evaluation

If a LINQ expression can't be translated to SQL, EF Core evaluates it in memory. Watch for warnings:

The LINQ expression could not be translated and will be evaluated locally.

Fix: Restructure the query to use translatable expressions, or explicitly call .AsEnumerable() at the point where you intend client evaluation.

5. Use AsNoTracking for Read-Only Queries

var products = await db.Products
    .AsNoTracking()  // No change tracking overhead
    .Where(p => p.IsActive)
    .ToListAsync();

6. Use Split Queries for Complex Includes

var orders = await db.Orders
    .Include(o => o.Items)
    .Include(o => o.Customer)
    .Include(o => o.ShippingAddress)
    .AsSplitQuery()  // Prevents cartesian explosion
    .ToListAsync();

7. Use Compiled Queries for Hot Paths

private static readonly Func<AppDbContext, int, Task<Order?>> GetOrderById =
    EF.CompileAsyncQuery((AppDbContext db, int id) =>
        db.Orders
            .Include(o => o.Items)
            .FirstOrDefault(o => o.Id == id));

// Usage:
var order = await GetOrderById(db, orderId);

Change Tracking

Default: Track Everything

EF Core tracks all queried entities by default. This is expensive for read-heavy workloads.

Opt-Out Per Query

var data = await db.Products.AsNoTracking().ToListAsync();

Opt-Out Globally

For read-heavy services, disable tracking by default:

services.AddDbContext<AppDbContext>(options =>
{
    options.UseNpgsql(connectionString);
    options.UseQueryTrackingBehavior(QueryTrackingBehavior.NoTracking);
});

Then opt-in for mutations:

db.ChangeTracker.QueryTrackingBehavior = QueryTrackingBehavior.TrackAll;
var entity = await db.Products.FindAsync(id);
entity.Name = "Updated";
await db.SaveChangesAsync();

Migration Best Practices

Always Review Generated SQL

# Generate migration
dotnet ef migrations add AddUserEmail

# Review the SQL it will execute
dotnet ef migrations script --idempotent

# Or for a specific migration
dotnet ef migrations script PreviousMigration AddUserEmail

Idempotent Migrations

Always generate idempotent scripts for production:

dotnet ef migrations script --idempotent -o migration.sql

Data Migrations vs Schema Migrations

Keep them separate:

• Schema migration: Add column, create index, rename table
• Data migration: Backfill values, transform data, seed lookup tables

Never mix data manipulation with schema changes in the same migration.

HasData Sparingly

// OK for lookup tables (enum-like data)
modelBuilder.Entity<OrderStatus>().HasData(
    new OrderStatus { Id = 1, Name = "Pending" },
    new OrderStatus { Id = 2, Name = "Shipped" }
);

// BAD for user data or dynamic content
// Use a separate seeding mechanism instead

Performance Patterns

Batch Operations (EF Core 7+)

// Bulk update — single SQL statement, no entity loading
await db.Products
    .Where(p => p.CategoryId == oldCategoryId)
    .ExecuteUpdateAsync(s => s.SetProperty(p => p.CategoryId, newCategoryId));

// Bulk delete — single SQL statement
await db.Orders
    .Where(o => o.CreatedAt < cutoffDate)
    .ExecuteDeleteAsync();

Raw SQL for Complex Reports

var report = await db.Database
    .SqlQuery<SalesReport>($"""
        SELECT CategoryName, SUM(Total) as Revenue, COUNT(*) as OrderCount
        FROM Orders o
        JOIN Categories c ON o.CategoryId = c.Id
        WHERE o.CreatedAt >= {startDate}
        GROUP BY CategoryName
        ORDER BY Revenue DESC
    """)
    .ToListAsync();

Connection Resiliency

services.AddDbContext<AppDbContext>(options =>
{
    options.UseNpgsql(connectionString, npgsql =>
    {
        npgsql.EnableRetryOnFailure(
            maxRetryCount: 3,
            maxRetryDelay: TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5),
            errorCodesToAdd: null);
    });
});

Anti-Patterns

Reference Docs

• query-optimization.md — Deep dive into query patterns, pagination, indexes, and benchmarking