Optimizing Queries in Entity Framework Core: A Guide to High-Performance Data Access in .NET

Michael Maurice
3 min readAug 28, 2024

In the world of modern web applications, data access plays a critical role in performance. Entity Framework Core (EF Core) is a popular ORM (Object-Relational Mapper) for .NET that simplifies database interactions. However, if not used efficiently, it can lead to performance bottlenecks. In this article, we’ll explore key strategies for optimizing queries in EF Core to ensure your application runs smoothly.

Why Query Optimization Matters

Before diving into optimization techniques, it’s essential to understand why optimizing your queries is crucial. Inefficient queries can lead to:

  • Slow response times: Long-running queries can delay responses, impacting user experience.
  • Increased resource consumption: Inefficient queries consume more CPU, memory, and I/O resources.
  • Database contention: Poorly optimized queries can cause contention, leading to database locks and further performance degradation.

Key Strategies for Optimizing EF Core Queries

  1. Use AsNoTracking for Read-Only Queries

By default, EF Core tracks entities retrieved from the database, which can be costly in…

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