Entity Framework Extensions

TL;DR: Entity Framework Extensions is a commercial library for EF Core and EF6 that dramatically improves performance with bulk operations such as BulkInsert, BulkUpdate, BulkDelete, BulkMerge, and BulkSaveChanges. It combines a simple DbContext API with advanced model support, more than 20,000 automated tests, monthly releases, and direct professional support.

Entity Framework Extensions—often called EF Extensions or EFE—helps developers process thousands or millions of records without replacing Entity Framework or maintaining complex, provider-specific SQL.

The library has been developed by ZZZ Projects since 2014. It supports EF6 and EF Core 2 through EF Core 10, works with the major relational database providers, and is trusted by more than 5,000 companies.

Entity Framework Extensions is more than a collection of fast methods. It is a production-ready library backed by extensive testing, predictable releases, and a support team that helps customers move forward when an issue blocks their project.

Discover the value behind Entity Framework Extensions or try the full-featured trial.

Why Use Entity Framework Extensions?

Entity Framework makes data access productive, but its standard change-tracking workflow can become expensive when an application must process large collections. Saving many entities individually increases database round trips, command execution, and overall processing time.

Entity Framework Extensions replaces this work with optimized bulk operations while preserving your existing entities, mappings, relationships, and DbContext.

The result is:

• Faster data operations: Process large collections using optimized, provider-specific techniques.
• Less development work: Use production-ready features instead of building and maintaining custom bulk code.
• Support for complex models: Handle graphs, owned types, inheritance, custom keys, and database-generated values.
• Lower technical risk: Benefit from more than 20,000 automated tests before every release.
• Help when you need it: Get direct expert support, often with a personalized online example for your scenario.

Installation

Install the Entity Framework Extensions package for EF Core:

Install-Package Z.EntityFramework.Extensions.EFCore

No special database schema or replacement DbContext is required. After installing the package, bulk methods are available directly from your existing context.

EF Core NuGet package

Code Examples

Entity Framework Extensions uses a familiar API and requires only a few lines of code:

// @nuget: Z.EntityFramework.Extensions.EFCore
using Z.EntityFramework.Extensions;

// Saving operations
context.BulkInsert(customers);
context.BulkInsertOptimized(customers); // Insert without output
context.BulkUpdate(customers);
context.BulkDelete(customers);
context.BulkMerge(customers);          // Insert or update
context.BulkSynchronize(customers);    // Insert, update, and delete
context.BulkSaveChanges();             // Faster alternative to SaveChanges

Options can be configured for advanced scenarios:

context.BulkInsert(customers, options =>
{
    options.IncludeGraph = true;
    options.BatchSize = 5000;
});

The library also includes high-performance retrieval and filtering operations:

context.Customers.BulkRead(deserializedCustomers);

var existingCustomers = context.Customers
    .WhereBulkContains(deserializedCustomers)
    .ToList();

var missingCustomers = context.Customers
    .WhereBulkNotContains(deserializedCustomers)
    .ToList();

You can run and modify working examples directly from the Entity Framework Extensions online examples.

Supported Bulk Operations

The most commonly used operations include:

• BulkInsert
• BulkInsertOptimized
• BulkUpdate
• BulkDelete
• BulkMerge
• BulkSynchronize
• BulkSaveChanges

Retrieval and bulk-query features include:

• BulkRead
• WhereBulkContains
• WhereBulkNotContains
• WhereBulkContainsFilterList
• WhereBulkNotContainsFilterList

Hundreds of options let you control batching, keys, identity values, formulas, temporary tables, transactions, graph behavior, and provider-specific features.

Key Advantages

High Performance Without Rewriting Your Data Layer

Entity Framework Extensions uses optimized bulk and database-provider techniques to reduce commands, round trips, and processing time. Your application keeps the productivity of Entity Framework while gaining the performance required for demanding workloads.

Advanced Model and Provider Support

Real applications often go beyond flat entity lists. Entity Framework Extensions supports scenarios involving related entities, owned types, inheritance, custom keys, database-generated values, and advanced mappings.

Supported databases include:

• SQL Server and SQL Azure
• PostgreSQL
• MySQL
• MariaDB
• Oracle
• SQLite

Production-Tested Reliability

More than 20,000 automated tests run before every release to detect regressions across Entity Framework versions, database providers, operations, options, and mapping scenarios.

This testing does not eliminate the need to validate your own application, but it significantly reduces the amount of complex provider-specific behavior your team must build and maintain itself.

Tier-1 Customer Support

When an issue blocks your project, you need more than a generic reply. Customers receive direct help from experienced Entity Framework specialists who investigate the actual scenario and often provide a personalized online example demonstrating the solution.

Support continues after the initial response. The team proactively follows up after 48 hours, and again after 96 hours when necessary, to make sure the issue is truly resolved.

You can experience the support before purchasing or read what customers say on the ZZZ Projects testimonials page.

Predictable, Long-Term Maintenance

Entity Framework Extensions has evolved alongside Entity Framework since 2014. It provides day-one support for major EF Core releases and publishes reliable monthly releases with fixes, improvements, new features, and provider updates.

This gives teams greater confidence when planning framework and database upgrades around a business-critical dependency.

Performance Benchmarks

Bulk operations are designed to reduce the overhead of processing large collections through the standard Entity Framework change-tracking pipeline.

Benchmark results depend on the database, network, model, options, and number of entities. The following SQL Server benchmarks compare Entity Framework Extensions with EF Core SaveChanges in reproducible test projects.

You can inspect the source and reproduce the results from the benchmark repository.

Additional benchmarks are available by database provider and bulk operation.

Bulk Insert

Without Related Entities

With Related Entities (IncludeGraph)

Bulk Update

Without Related Entities

With Related Entities (IncludeGraph)

Bulk Merge

Without Related Entities

With Related Entities (IncludeGraph)

Considerations

Entity Framework Extensions is a commercial library and requires a paid license for production use. The license is perpetual, so you can continue using the purchased version indefinitely. Renewing support and upgrades is optional, with renewal discounts ranging from 30% to 50%.

A full-featured trial is available for evaluation without registration. The latest monthly release refreshes the trial period, allowing teams to test performance, compatibility, and advanced scenarios before purchasing.

The practical comparison is not simply paid versus free. It is the license cost compared with the development time, maintenance work, production risk, release reliability, and support your team would otherwise need to provide.

See why companies choose Entity Framework Extensions.

FAQ

How Can I Try Entity Framework Extensions?

Install the latest EF Core NuGet package or visit the download page. No registration is required, and the trial includes every feature.

The trial expires at the end of a month. Installing the latest monthly release refreshes the evaluation period.

Is the License Perpetual or Subscription-Based?

The license is perpetual. You can continue using the version you purchased without renewing.

Support and upgrades are included for the selected term. Renewal is optional and provides continued access to new EF Core versions, provider compatibility, fixes, features, performance improvements, and customer support. Renewal discounts range from 30% to 50%.

Can Entity Framework Extensions Be Used for Free?

The full-featured trial can be used for testing, learning, and evaluating the library. A commercial license is required for production use.

Which Entity Framework Versions Are Supported?

Entity Framework Extensions supports EF6 and all major EF Core versions from EF Core 2 through EF Core 10.

Use the package major version that matches your EF Core major version—for example, EF Extensions 10.x with EF Core 10.x.

Which Databases Are Supported?

Entity Framework Extensions supports SQL Server, SQL Azure, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, Oracle, and SQLite. Features and implementation details can vary by provider.

Is Entity Framework Extensions Maintained?

Yes. ZZZ Projects has continuously developed Entity Framework Extensions since 2014. The library receives day-one support for major EF Core versions and reliable monthly releases with compatibility updates, fixes, improvements, and new features.

Before every release, more than 20,000 automated tests run across supported versions, providers, operations, and options.

What Support Is Included?

Customers receive direct Tier-1 support from experienced Entity Framework specialists through email and GitHub Issues.

The team can investigate complex scenarios and create personalized online examples. It also proactively follows up after 48 hours—and again after 96 hours when necessary—to confirm that the issue has been resolved.

How Difficult Is It to Integrate?

Integration is usually straightforward. Install the NuGet package and call the bulk methods from your existing DbContext. Your current entities, mappings, relationships, and database schema can remain in place.

Because every application is different, teams should test their actual models and operations with the trial before deploying to production.

Is It Suitable for Production Applications?

Yes. Entity Framework Extensions has been used in production since 2014 and is trusted by more than 5,000 companies. Its extensive automated testing, broad provider support, predictable releases, and direct professional support are designed for long-term and business-critical use.

Summary

Entity Framework Extensions lets teams keep the productivity of EF Core or EF6 while gaining the performance and flexibility of optimized bulk operations.

Its value goes beyond faster inserts and updates. Your team benefits from advanced model support, more than 20,000 automated tests, monthly releases, day-one EF Core compatibility, and experts who help when an issue blocks your project.

• Discover why more than 5,000 companies choose Entity Framework Extensions
• Try Entity Framework Extensions for free
• View pricing