Use the Entity Framework Core tools to create and apply migrations.
This page will use the LightNap.DataProviders.SqlServer
migrations project, but the same commands should work by swapping that out for another provider, such as LightNap.DataProviders.Sqlite
. There is no need to update migrations for database providers that will not be used. There is also no need to use migrations for the in-memory database provider.
The LightNap solution structure spreads out EF assets across multiple projects:
- Entities are defined in the
LightNap.Core
project. - Migrations are defined in provider-specific projects, such as
LightNap.DataProviders.SqlServer
. - The Web API entry point and EF configuration are defined in the
LightNap.WebApi
project.
As a result, additional parameters are required for the EF tools to work properly.
Adding a Migration
To add a migration for SQL Server, use the following command from the /src
folder:
dotnet ef migrations add <MigrationName> --context ApplicationDbContext --project LightNap.DataProviders.SqlServer --startup-project LightNap.WebApi
Removing a Migration
Similarly, you can remove the most recent migration using the following command:
dotnet ef migrations remove --project LightNap.DataProviders.SqlServer --startup-project LightNap.WebApi
Updating the Database
To apply changes to the database, use the following command:
dotnet ef database update --project LightNap.DataProviders.SqlServer --startup-project LightNap.WebApi
The LightNap.WebApi
project also offers automatic migrations by setting SiteSettings.AutomaticallyApplyEfMigrations
to true
.
Regenerating the InitialCreate Migration
Prior to deploying a database it is common to tear down and regenerate the entire InitialCreate
migration. To do this for SQL Server, use the following commands:
dotnet ef database drop --project LightNap.DataProviders.SqlServer --startup-project LightNap.WebApi
dotnet ef migrations remove --project LightNap.DataProviders.SqlServer --startup-project LightNap.WebApi
dotnet ef migrations add InitialCreate --context ApplicationDbContext --project LightNap.DataProviders.SqlServer --startup-project LightNap.WebApi
dotnet ef database update --project LightNap.DataProviders.SqlServer --startup-project LightNap.WebApi
That the drop
command above will request confirmation to avoid inadvertently dropping the wrong database.