FileContextCore 3.4.0

dotnet add package FileContextCore --version 3.4.0                
NuGet\Install-Package FileContextCore -Version 3.4.0                
This command is intended to be used within the Package Manager Console in Visual Studio, as it uses the NuGet module's version of Install-Package.
<PackageReference Include="FileContextCore" Version="3.4.0" />                
For projects that support PackageReference, copy this XML node into the project file to reference the package.
paket add FileContextCore --version 3.4.0                
#r "nuget: FileContextCore, 3.4.0"                
#r directive can be used in F# Interactive and Polyglot Notebooks. Copy this into the interactive tool or source code of the script to reference the package.
// Install FileContextCore as a Cake Addin
#addin nuget:?package=FileContextCore&version=3.4.0

// Install FileContextCore as a Cake Tool
#tool nuget:?package=FileContextCore&version=3.4.0                

FileContextCore Build Status Maintainability

FileContextCore is a "Database"-Provider for Entity Framework Core and adds the ability to store information in files. It enables fast developments because of the advantage of just copy, edit and delete files.

This framework bases on the idea of FileContext by DevMentor (https://github.com/pmizel/DevMentor.Context.FileContext)

Advantages

  • No database needed
  • Easy configuration
  • Rapid data-modelling, -modification
  • Share data through version-control
  • Supports all serializable .NET types
  • Integrates seamlessly into EF Core
  • Different serializer supported (XML, JSON, CSV, Excel)
  • Supports encryption
  • Supports relations
  • Supports multiple databases

!This extension is not intended to be used in production systems!

Install

https://www.nuget.org/packages/FileContextCore/

PM > Install-Package FileContextCore

Configure EF Core

Configure in DI-Service configuration

In your Startup.cs use this:

public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)
{
    ...
    services.AddDbContext<Context>(options => options.UseFileContextDatabase());
    ...
}
or
Override OnConfiguring method

You can also override the OnConfiguring method of your DbContext to apply the settings:

protected override void OnConfiguring(DbContextOptionsBuilder optionsBuilder)
{
    optionsBuilder.UseFileContextDatabase();
}

Example

For a simple example check out: Example

You can also play around with this example on dotnetfiddle.net: Demo

Configuration

By default the extension uses JSON-serialization and the DefaultFileManager

You can use a different serializer to support other serialization methods.

Available Serializer

XMLSerializer

Serializes data using System.XML

optionsBuilder.UseFileContextDatabase<XMLSerializer, DefaultFileManager>();

CSVSerializer

Serializes data using CsvHelper (https://joshclose.github.io/CsvHelper/)

optionsBuilder.UseFileContextDatabase<CSVSerializer, DefaultFileManager>();

JSONSerializer

Serializes data using Newtonsoft Json.NET (http://www.newtonsoft.com/json)

optionsBuilder.UseFileContextDatabase<JSONSerializer, DefaultFileManager>();

or just

optionsBuilder.UseFileContextDatabase();

BSONSerializer

Serializes data to bson using Newtonsoft Json.NET (http://www.newtonsoft.com/json)

optionsBuilder.UseFileContextDatabase<BSONSerializer, DefaultFileManager>();

EXCELSerializer

Saves files into an .xlsx-file and enables the quick editing of the data using Excel

Uses EEPlus implementation for .Net Core (https://github.com/VahidN/EPPlus.Core)

optionsBuilder.UseFileContextDatabase<EXCELStoreManager>();

If you want to secure the excel file with a password use:

optionsBuilder.UseFileContextDatabase<EXCELStoreManager>(password: "<password>");

To run on Linux-Systems

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install libgdiplus

File Manager

The file manager controls how the files are stored.

DefaultFileManager

The default file manager just creates normal files.

optionsBuilder.UseFileContextDatabase<JSONSerializer, DefaultFileManager>();

EncryptedFileManager

The encrypted file manager encrypts the files with a password.

optionsBuilder.UseFileContextDatabase<JSONSerializer, EncryptedFileManager>(password: "<password>");

Custom file-location

By default the files are stored in a subfolder of your running application called appdata. If you want to control this behavior you can also use define a custom location.

optionsBuilder.UseFileContextDatabase(location: @"C:\Users\mjanatzek\Documents\Projects\test");

Multiple Databases

If noting is configured all files of your application will be stored in a flat folder. You can optionally define a name for your database and all the corresponding data will saved in a subfolder. So you are able to use FileContext with multiple DbContext-configurations.

optionsBuilder.UseFileContextDatabase(databasename: "database");

Custom provider

You can create custom serializer, file manager and store manager if you want.

If you want to create a custom serializer implement the interface ISerializer.

If you want to control storing of data implement interface IFileManager.

If you want to create a store manager that does both implement IStoreManager.

After adding a custom provider you have to add it as a transient dependency in the dependency injection.

Feel free to create a PR with your new provider and I'll add it to FileContextCore.

Version compability

FileContext Version EF Core Version
3.4.* 3.1.0
3.3.* 3.0.0
3.2.* 3.0.0
3.0.1/3.0.0/2.2.6 2.2.6
2.2.0 2.2.0

Custom table/file name

It seems that EF Core currently does not support to define a custom table name using annotations on models. Use the OnModelCreating-method to define a custom table name.

protected override void OnModelCreating(ModelBuilder modelBuilder)
{
    modelBuilder.Entity<User>()
        .ToTable("custom_user_table");
}

This will store the data in a file called custom_user_table.json for example.

Author

Morris Janatzek (morrisjdev)

Product Compatible and additional computed target framework versions.
.NET net5.0 was computed.  net5.0-windows was computed.  net6.0 was computed.  net6.0-android was computed.  net6.0-ios was computed.  net6.0-maccatalyst was computed.  net6.0-macos was computed.  net6.0-tvos was computed.  net6.0-windows was computed.  net7.0 was computed.  net7.0-android was computed.  net7.0-ios was computed.  net7.0-maccatalyst was computed.  net7.0-macos was computed.  net7.0-tvos was computed.  net7.0-windows was computed.  net8.0 was computed.  net8.0-android was computed.  net8.0-browser was computed.  net8.0-ios was computed.  net8.0-maccatalyst was computed.  net8.0-macos was computed.  net8.0-tvos was computed.  net8.0-windows was computed. 
.NET Core netcoreapp2.0 was computed.  netcoreapp2.1 was computed.  netcoreapp2.2 was computed.  netcoreapp3.0 was computed.  netcoreapp3.1 was computed. 
.NET Standard netstandard2.0 is compatible.  netstandard2.1 was computed. 
.NET Framework net461 was computed.  net462 was computed.  net463 was computed.  net47 was computed.  net471 was computed.  net472 was computed.  net48 was computed.  net481 was computed. 
MonoAndroid monoandroid was computed. 
MonoMac monomac was computed. 
MonoTouch monotouch was computed. 
Tizen tizen40 was computed.  tizen60 was computed. 
Xamarin.iOS xamarinios was computed. 
Xamarin.Mac xamarinmac was computed. 
Xamarin.TVOS xamarintvos was computed. 
Xamarin.WatchOS xamarinwatchos was computed. 
Compatible target framework(s)
Included target framework(s) (in package)
Learn more about Target Frameworks and .NET Standard.

NuGet packages (5)

Showing the top 5 NuGet packages that depend on FileContextCore:

Package Downloads
EDennis.NetCoreTestingUtilities

Provides various classes that assist with .NET Core 3 unit testing.

RealtimeDatabase

A .NET Core Extension for Entity Framework Core to enable Realtime Capability.

AvantiPoint.MobileAuth

The MobileAuth Library is designed to quickly stand up an OAuth endpoint for Apple, Google, & Microsoft providers with the flexibility of customizing additional ones or only providing ones that you provide a configuration for. This makes it easy to stand up a minimal API with only a few lines of code.

Gtt.Uc.EntityFramework

Package Description

FileContextCore.AzureBlobStorageFileManager

Azure blob storage implementation for the File Context Core package. It allows to use EntityFramework Core without a database, just using a file located in an Azure blob storage as database

GitHub repositories (2)

Showing the top 2 popular GitHub repositories that depend on FileContextCore:

Repository Stars
SapphireDb/SapphireDb
SapphireDb Server, a self-hosted, easy to use realtime database for Asp.Net Core and EF Core
mguinness/IdentityManagerUI
Identity management system for ASP.NET Core Identity.
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