C# Database Transactions

Introduction to Database Transactions

Database transactions in C# are crucial for maintaining atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability (ACID properties). Transactions allow multiple operations to be executed as a single unit, ensuring the database remains in a consistent state even in the case of failures.

Entity Framework Core (EF Core) provides a streamlined way to handle database transactions in C#, simplifying complex operations and ensuring data integrity.

Setting Up EF Core for Transactions

Before you can use EF Core for transactions, ensure you have the necessary packages installed. You will need:

• Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore
• Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer (or another provider for your database)

Install these packages using NuGet Package Manager or via the command line:

Implementing Transactions with EF Core

EF Core allows you to create transactions using the DbContext.Database.BeginTransaction() method. Here's a basic example of how to implement a transaction:

Handling Transactions in EF Core

Transactions in EF Core can help manage changes across multiple tables and even multiple databases. If any part of the transaction fails, a rollback is initiated to maintain consistency. This ensures no partial updates are applied, which could otherwise lead to data corruption.

It's crucial to handle exceptions and ensure the transaction is correctly rolled back in case of errors. EF Core transactions can work seamlessly with asynchronous operations as well, using await with SaveChangesAsync().