Entity Framework 8 introduces native support for primitive collection properties e.g. lists and arrays. Custom converters are no longer required.

Lists

Get articles where tags contains 'my-tag'

Get articles with no tags

Primitive collection properties without converters

Complex type objects are not identified or tracked by key, and can be shared by multiple properties

Value objects as complex types

Get all articles where author matches

New article

Value objects using Complex types

Model

Configuring model

New in EF8

Using simple POCO classes, Entity Framework can construct a relational model for our database

Basic

Simple modeling with POCO classes

Instead of using simple POCO classes, Entity Framework can work with C# features like constructors and private properties

Constructors and properties

Modeling with modern C# features (constructors, properties)

Entity Framework can map private fields in your context

Private fields

Use private fields within your model

Default schema is dbo, but it can be changed to any other value

Specify schema

Change database schema for all entities

// Meta is not an entity type or an owned type
// Its properties will be stored within the parent entity
public class Meta
{
    public string Author { get; set; }
    public DateTime PublishedOn { get; set; }
}

public class Article
{
    public int Id { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }

    public required Meta Meta { get; set; }
}

public class AppContext : DbContext
{
    public DbSet<Article> Articles { get; set; }

    // Ensures connection is picked up from AddDbContext
    public AppContext(DbContextOptions<AppContext> options)
        : base(options)
    { }

    protected override void OnModelCreating(ModelBuilder modelBuilder)
    {
        // Try commenting out the following lines to see the error
        modelBuilder.Entity<Article>()
            // Mark this property as complex
            .ComplexProperty(e => e.Meta)
            .IsRequired()
        ;
    }
}