About Entity Framework

Oracle supports Microsoft Entity Framework, an Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) technology that enable developers to write object-oriented code against a conceptual model of their data rather than accessing the database directly. A data provider translates operations on this conceptual model into SQL that executes against the database.

For example, you can update an instance of an EMPLOYEE class or request a collection of EMPLOYEE instances rather than providing the equivalent UPDATE or SELECT SQL statements to the EMPLOYEES table in an Oracle Database. The mapping layer generates SQL behind the scenes for you.

Oracle Data Provider for .NET (ODP.NET) provides the mapping layer for Entity Framework and Oracle Database. Oracle Developer Tools for Visual Studio (ODT) integrates with the Visual Studio Entity Data Model Designer (Entity Designer) to enable .NET developers to target Oracle Database with their Entity Framework applications when designing or editing the conceptual model.