Programming Entity Framework

Book excerpt: Get a thorough introduction to ADO.NET Entity Framework 4 -- Microsoft's core framework for modeling and interacting with data in .NET applications. The second edition of this acclaimed guide provides a hands-on tour of the framework latest version in Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4. Not only will you learn how to use EF4 in a variety of applications, you'll also gain a deep understanding of its architecture and APIs. Written by Julia Lerman, the leading independent authority on the framework, Programming Entity Framework covers it all -- from the Entity Data Model and Object Services to WCF Services, MVC Apps, and unit testing. This book highlights important changes for experienced developers familiar with the earlier version. Understand the core concepts you need to make the best use of the EF4 in your applications Learn to query your data, using either LINQ to Entities or Entity SQL Create Windows Forms, WPF, ASP.NET Web Forms, and ASP.NET MVC applications Build and consume WCF Services, WCF Data Services, and WCF RIA Services Use Object Services to work directly with your entity objects Create persistent ignorant entities, repositories, and write unit tests Delve into model customization, relationship management, change tracking, data concurrency, and more Get scores of reusable examples -- written in C# (with notes on Visual Basic syntax) -- that you can implement right away