EF Core Performance Tips

Performance matters when working with large datasets or high-load applications. EF Core provides several tools and best practices to optimize your queries and overall data access.

1. Disable Tracking for Read-Only Queries

EF Core tracks all changes by default. If you’re only reading data, use AsNoTracking() to reduce memory and CPU usage.

var products = context.Products
    .AsNoTracking()
    .ToList();

2. Select Only Needed Fields

Avoid loading entire entities if you only need specific fields.

var names = context.Products
    .Select(p => new { p.Id, p.Name })
    .ToList();

3. Use Include Wisely

Use Include() to eagerly load related data and prevent the N+1 problem, but avoid over-including:

var categories = context.Categories
    .Include(c => c.Products)
    .ToList();

4. Batch Multiple Changes

Perform all insert, update, or delete operations first, then call SaveChanges() once to minimize database roundtrips.

context.Add(new Product { Name = "Tablet" });
context.Add(new Product { Name = "Monitor" });
context.SaveChanges();

5. Use Database Indexes

Ensure indexes are created on frequently queried columns using the Fluent API:

modelBuilder.Entity<Product>()
    .HasIndex(p => p.Name);

6. Use Async for I/O-Bound Operations

Always prefer asynchronous methods in production apps for better scalability:

var products = await context.Products.ToListAsync();

With these performance tips, your EF Core application can scale and respond efficiently under load. Up next: we’ll explore Blazor — a modern way to build interactive UIs using C# instead of JavaScript.

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