Applying EF Core Migrations at Application Startup with the Migrate() Method

Introduction

Managing database schema changes is a fundamental aspect of application development. With Entity Framework (EF) Core, developers can streamline this process by using migrations to update the database schema to match the application’s data model. A common challenge is ensuring that these migrations are applied automatically whenever the application starts, avoiding manual intervention or deployment issues.

In this blog, we’ll explore how to use the Migrate() method on the Database property of your DbContext to automatically apply EF Core migrations every time your .NET application starts up. This approach ensures that your database schema is always up-to-date with your application's data model, simplifying deployment and reducing the risk of errors.

Why Automate EF Core Migrations at Startup?

Automating EF Core migrations at application startup offers several key benefits:

• Consistency: Automatically ensures that the database schema is in sync with the current state of the application’s code.
• Simplicity: Reduces the need for manual intervention during deployments or development, saving time and effort.