Getting Started With ASP.NET Core MVC: A Step-by-Step Beginner Guide (Part 3/8)

Connecting ASP.NET Core MVC to SQL Server using EF Core.

This part will teach you how to:

Configure SQL Server connection
Create DbContext
Create database using EF Core migrations
Replace in-memory repository with real SQL database
Use async EF Core CRUD operations

Let’s begin.

Getting Started With ASP.NET Core MVC – Part 3

Connecting to SQL Server Using Entity Framework Core

1. Install EF Core Packages

Open Package Manager Console:

Install-Package Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore
Install-Package Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer
Install-Package Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools

2. Add Connection String

Open appsettings.json and add:

"ConnectionStrings": {
  "DefaultConnection": "Server=YOUR_SERVER_NAME;Database=MVCAppDB;Trusted_Connection=True;MultipleActiveResultSets=true"
}

Examples:

If using SQL Express:

Server=.\\SQLEXPRESS;Database=MVCAppDB;Trusted_Connection=True;

If using SQL Server authentication:

Server=localhost;Database=MVCAppDB;User Id=sa;Password=YourPassword123;

3. Create ApplicationDbContext

Create folder Data → file ApplicationDbContext.cs:

using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
using MVCApp.Models;

namespace MVCApp.Data
{
    public class ApplicationDbContext : DbContext
    {
        public ApplicationDbContext(DbContextOptions<ApplicationDbContext> options)
            : base(options)
        {
        }

        public DbSet<Product> Products { get; set; }
    }
}

✔ This DbContext represents your database.

4. Register EF Core in Program.cs

Open Program.cs:

using MVCApp.Data;
using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

builder.Services.AddControllersWithViews();

// Register DbContext
builder.Services.AddDbContext<ApplicationDbContext>(options =>
{
    options.UseSqlServer(builder.Configuration.GetConnectionString("DefaultConnection"));
});

var app = builder.Build();

app.MapControllerRoute(
    name: "default",
    pattern: "{controller=Product}/{action=Index}/{id?}");

app.Run();

5. Enable EF Core Migrations

Open Package Manager Console:

Add-Migration InitialCreate

Output should say "Build succeeded."

Then:

Update-Database

✔ This creates the database and the Products table.

6. Remove Old In-Memory Repository

Delete/ignore your previous custom repository (ProductRepository).

Now your actual database will store products.

7. Update ProductController to Use EF Core

Open ProductController.cs:

using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
using MVCApp.Data;
using MVCApp.Models;
using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;

namespace MVCApp.Controllers
{
    public class ProductController : Controller
    {
        private readonly ApplicationDbContext _db;

        public ProductController(ApplicationDbContext db)
        {
            _db = db;
        }

        // GET: /Product
        public async Task<IActionResult> Index()
        {
            var products = await _db.Products.ToListAsync();
            return View(products);
        }

        // GET: Create
        public IActionResult Create()
        {
            return View();
        }

        // POST: Create
        [HttpPost]
        public async Task<IActionResult> Create(Product product)
        {
            if (!ModelState.IsValid)
                return View(product);

            _db.Products.Add(product);
            await _db.SaveChangesAsync();

            return RedirectToAction("Index");
        }

        // GET: Edit
        public async Task<IActionResult> Edit(int id)
        {
            var product = await _db.Products.FindAsync(id);
            if (product == null)
                return NotFound();

            return View(product);
        }

        // POST: Edit
        [HttpPost]
        public async Task<IActionResult> Edit(Product product)
        {
            if (!ModelState.IsValid)
                return View(product);

            _db.Products.Update(product);
            await _db.SaveChangesAsync();

            return RedirectToAction("Index");
        }

        // GET: Delete
        public async Task<IActionResult> Delete(int id)
        {
            var product = await _db.Products.FindAsync(id);
            if (product == null)
                return NotFound();

            return View(product);
        }

        // POST: Delete
        [HttpPost, ActionName("Delete")]
        public async Task<IActionResult> DeleteConfirmed(int id)
        {
            var product = await _db.Products.FindAsync(id);
            _db.Products.Remove(product);
            await _db.SaveChangesAsync();

            return RedirectToAction("Index");
        }
    }
}

✔ Repository removed
✔ Fully database-driven CRUD
✔ Async for better scalability

8. Run the Application

Now:

Click Add Product
Enter name + price
Save

Check the database:

SELECT * FROM Products

Your data is now stored in SQL Server 🎉

9. Part 3 Summary

You completed:

Task	Status
Add EF Core packages	✔
Configure SQL Server	✔
Create DbContext	✔
Add migrations	✔
Connect MVC to real DB	✔
Replace repository	✔
Async CRUD	✔

Your application is now a real production-ready MVC + SQL Server app.