Define the Data Model and Set Initial Data

• May 07, 2025

This section explains how to design a business model (database) for an application built with Cross-Platform .NET App UI (XAF) and Entity Framework Core.

You will learn how to complete the following tasks:

• Create business classes mapped to database tables
• Define relationships between classes
• Implement dependent properties

To design a business model, build custom classes and inherit your business objects from the BaseObject class.

Tip

You can use the PMC or CLI tool to generate the business model from an existing database instead of creating it from scratch in Entity Framework Core. To learn more about this approach in EF Core, refer to the following article: Reverse Engineering.

Once you complete the tutorial, your application will look as shown in the image below:

ASP.NET Core Blazor Windows Forms

Proceed to Create a Solution to start the tutorial.

See Also

Generate EF Core Business Classes from an Existing Database for Blazor and WinForms Applications (Database First)