How to Make EF Core Faster 🚀: 10+ Practical Tips with C# Code Examples

In this blog, we’ll explore actionable ways to optimize Entity Framework Core (EF Core) for blazing-fast performance.

EF Core is a powerful ORM, but it requires careful usage to avoid common pitfalls. Below are 10+ tips with C# code examples to help you write efficient EF Core queries and improve your application’s performance.

Let’s dive in!

1. Add Database Indexes

Indexes are critical for speeding up query execution. Ensure your database has indexes for frequently queried columns.

protected override void OnModelCreating(ModelBuilder modelBuilder)
{
    modelBuilder.Entity<User>()
        .HasIndex(u => u.Email) // Add an index on the Email column
        .HasDatabaseName("IX_User_Email");
}

2. Use AsNoTracking for Read-Only Queries

When you don’t need to update entities, use AsNoTracking to avoid the overhead of change tracking.

var users = await _context.Users
    .AsNoTracking()
    .Where(u => u.IsActive)
    .ToListAsync();

3. Paginate Your Queries

Fetching all records at once is a performance killer. Use Skip and Take for pagination.