The current version of Entity Framework Core includes a few features which substantially diminish the comparative advantages of using this library. In particular the with ability to write raw SQL strings with sytax highlighting and automatic parameterization solves and return arbitrary types introduced in EF 8 resolves the main problems I originally had that motivated the creation of this library. At this point I have mostly replaced this library with Entity Framework in my own projects and it no longer make sense to continue investing in the present form.
TranceSQL provides an easy to use, high performance data access interface for SQL databases. TranceSQL is an alternative to using an ORM which provides an API for creating and executing commands and mapping query results back to objects. You can think of it as sitting in between an ORM like Entity Framework in which queries are generated from object-based DSLs such as LINQ and lightweight clients like Dapper that map results but require the query be provided as a string.
TranceSQL provides a command API for modeling SQL queries and an extensible translation layer
for converting results to usable objects. The command definition and command "rendering" are
separated into two different steps, allowing for differences between different dialects of SQL
to be accounted for in the resulting SQL command. For example SQL Server uses the TOP
keyword to indicate the maximum number of rows to return from a SELECT, whereas other vendors
use LIMIT or require specialized WHERE clauses. TranceSQL provides platform specific drivers
to render compatible SQL code for several dialects:
- Postgres
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Sqlite
- MySql
- Oracle
For more information, see documentation in the wiki
TranceSQL commands leverage collection initialization and implicit type conversion extensively to make code generation simple.
public string GetUsername(int id)
{
var database = new SqlServerDatabase(connectionString);
var command = new Command(database)
{
new Select
{
Column = { "FirstName" }
From = "Users"
Where = Condition.Equal("UserID", id)
}
};
// This executes as "SELECT [FirstName] FROM [Users] WHERE [UserID] = @P1"
var user = command.Fetch<User>();
return user.FirstName;
}Values can be included in various query building methods. These values are automatically converted to parameters when the query is executed. In addition, parameter converters may be added to provide application-specific conversion of values to parameters.
To create a automatic parameter, use the Value class.
Deferred execution provides a way to execute multiple queries within a single command and maps the results back to each request. This can be useful for keeping your code simple when building components that compose. For example if you need some user specific information along with some page specific queries.