juniorEntity Framework
What are Migrations in EF Core?
Updated Apr 28, 2026
Short answer
Migrations provide a way to incrementally update the database schema to keep it in sync with the application's data model.
Deep explanation
When you modify C# entity classes, you create a migration (Add-Migration). EF Core generates a C# file with Up() and Down() methods containing instructions to alter the DB schema. You then apply it using Update-Database.
Real-world example
Adding a 'DateOfBirth' property to a User class and using migrations to safely add the new column to the production database.
Common mistakes
- Manually altering the database schema without using migrations, causing the __EFMigrationsHistory table to fall out of sync.
Follow-up questions
- What is the __EFMigrationsHistory table?