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QueryableValues

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🤔💭 TLDR; By using QueryableValues, you can incorporate in-memory collections into your EF queries with outstanding performance and flexibility.

This library allows you to efficiently compose an [IEnumerable<T>] in your [Entity Framework Core] queries when using the [SQL Server Database Provider]. You can accomplish this by using the AsQueryableValues extension method that's available on the [DbContext] class. The query is processed in a single round trip to the server, in a way that preserves its [execution plan], even when the values within the [IEnumerable<T>] are changed on subsequent executions.

Highlights

• ✨ Enables the composition of in-memory data within your queries, utilizing both simple and complex types.
• 👌 Works with all versions of SQL Server supported by [Entity Framework Core].
• ⚡ Automatically uses the most efficient strategy compatible with your SQL Server instance and configuration.
• ✅ Boasts over 140 tests for reliability and compatibility, giving you added confidence.

For a detailed explanation of the problem solved by QueryableValues, please continue reading [here][readme-background].

💡 Still on Entity Framework 6 (non-core)? Then QueryableValues EF6 Edition is what you need.

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Getting Started

Installation

QueryableValues is distributed as a [NuGet Package]. The major version number of this library is aligned with the version of [Entity Framework Core] by which it's supported (e.g. If you are using EF Core 5, then you must use version 5 of QueryableValues).

Configuration

Look for the place in your code where you are setting up your [DbContext] and calling the [UseSqlServer] extension method, then use a lambda expression to access the SqlServerDbContextOptionsBuilder provided by it. It is on this builder that you must call the UseQueryableValues extension method as shown in the following simplified examples:

When using the OnConfiguring method inside your [DbContext]:

using BlazarTech.QueryableValues;

public class MyDbContext : DbContext
{
    protected override void OnConfiguring(DbContextOptionsBuilder optionsBuilder)
    {
        optionsBuilder.UseSqlServer(
            "MyConnectionString",
            sqlServerOptionsBuilder =>
            {
                sqlServerOptionsBuilder.UseQueryableValues();
            }
        );
    }
}

When setting up the [DbContext] at registration time using dependency injection:

using BlazarTech.QueryableValues;

public class Startup
{
    public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)
    {
        services.AddDbContext<MyDbContext>(optionsBuilder => {
            optionsBuilder.UseSqlServer(
                "MyConnectionString",
                sqlServerOptionsBuilder =>
                {
                    sqlServerOptionsBuilder.UseQueryableValues();
                }
            );
        });
    }
}

💡 UseQueryableValues offers an optional options delegate for additional configurations.

How Do You Use It?

The AsQueryableValues extension method is provided by the BlazarTech.QueryableValues namespace; therefore, you must add the following using directive to your source code file for it to appear as a method of your [DbContext] instance:

using BlazarTech.QueryableValues;

💡 If you access your [DbContext] via an interface, you can also make the AsQueryableValues extension methods available on it by inheriting from the IQueryableValuesEnabledDbContext interface.

Below are a few examples composing a query using the values provided by an [IEnumerable<T>].

Simple Type Examples

💡 Supports [Byte], [Int16], [Int32], [Int64], [Decimal], [Single], [Double], [DateTime], [DateTimeOffset], [DateOnly], [TimeOnly], [Guid], [Char], [String], and [Enum].

Using the [Contains][ContainsQueryable] LINQ method:

// Sample values.
IEnumerable<int> values = Enumerable.Range(1, 10);

// Example #1 (LINQ method syntax)
var myQuery1 = dbContext.MyEntities
    .Where(i => dbContext
        .AsQueryableValues(values)
        .Contains(i.MyEntityID)
    )
    .Select(i => new
    {
        i.MyEntityID,
        i.PropA
    });

// Example #2 (LINQ query syntax)
var myQuery2 = 
    from i in dbContext.MyEntities
    where dbContext
        .AsQueryableValues(values)
        .Contains(i.MyEntityID)
    select new
    {
        i.MyEntityID,
        i.PropA
    };

Using the [Join] LINQ method:

// Sample values.
IEnumerable<int> values = Enumerable.Range(1, 10);

// Example #1 (LINQ method syntax)
var myQuery1 = dbContext.MyEntities
    .Join(
        dbContext.AsQueryableValues(values),
        i => i.MyEntityID,
        v => v,
        (i, v) => new
        {
            i.MyEntityID,
            i.PropA
        }
    );

// Example #2 (LINQ query syntax)
var myQuery2 = 
    from i in dbContext.MyEntities
    join v in dbContext.AsQueryableValues(values) on i.MyEntityID equals v 
    select new
    {
        i.MyEntityID,
        i.PropA
    };

Complex Type Example

💡 Must be an anonymous or user-defined type with one or more simple type properties, including [Boolean].

// Performance Tip:
// If your IEnumerable<T> item type (T) has many properties, project only 
// the ones you need to a new variable and use it in your query.
var projectedItems = items.Select(i => new { i.CategoryId, i.ColorName });

// Example #1 (LINQ method syntax)
var myQuery1 = dbContext.Product
    .Join(
        dbContext.AsQueryableValues(projectedItems),
        p => new { p.CategoryId, p.ColorName },
        pi => new { pi.CategoryId, pi.ColorName },
        (p, pi) => new
        {
            p.ProductId,
            p.Description
        }
    );

// Example #2 (LINQ query syntax)
var myQuery2 = 
    from p in dbContext.Product
    join pi in dbContext.AsQueryableValues(projectedItems) on new { p.CategoryId, p.ColorName } equals new { pi.CategoryId, pi.ColorName }
    select new
    {
        p.ProductId,
        p.Description
    };

About Complex Types

⚠️ All the data provided by this type is transmitted to the server; therefore, ensure that it only contains the properties you need for your query. Not following this recommendation will degrade the query's performance.

⚠️ There is a limit of up to 10 properties for any given simple type (e.g. cannot have more than 10 [Int32] properties). Exceeding that limit will cause an exception and may also suggest that you should rethink your strategy.

Benchmarks

The following [benchmarks] consist of simple EF Core queries that have a dependency on a random sequence of [Int32], [Guid], and [String] values via the Contains LINQ method. It shows the performance differences between not using and using QueryableValues. In practice, the benefits of using QueryableValues are more dramatic on complex EF Core queries and busy environments.

Benchmarked Libraries

| Package | Version | | ------- |:-------:| | Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer | 8.0.0 | | BlazarTech.QueryableValues.SqlServer | 8.1.0 |

BenchmarkDotNet System Specs and Configuration

BenchmarkDotNet v0.13.10, Windows 11 (10.0.22621.2715/22H2/2022Update/SunValley2)
AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS Creator Edition, 1 CPU, 16 logical and 8 physical cores
.NET SDK 8.0.100
  [Host]     : .NET 8.0.0 (8.0.23.53103), X64 RyuJIT AVX2
  Job-EBAAJF : .NET 8.0.0 (8.0.23.53103), X64 RyuJIT AVX2

Server=True  InvocationCount=200  IterationCount=25
RunStrategy=Monitoring  UnrollFactor=1  WarmupCount=1

SQL Server Instance Specs

Microsoft SQL Server 2022 (RTM) - 16.0.1000.6 (X64) 
Oct  8 2022 05:58:25 
Copyright (C) 2022 Microsoft Corporation
Express Edition (64-bit) on Windows 10 Pro 10.0 <X64> (Build 22621: ) (Hypervisor)

• The SQL Server instance was running in the same system where the benchmarks were executed.
• Shared Memory is the only network protocol that's enabled on this instance.

Query Duration - Without vs. With (XML) vs. With (JSON)

Legend:

• Without: Plain EF.
• With (XML): EF with QueryableValues using the XML serializer.
• With (JSON): EF with QueryableValues using the JSON serializer.

[![Benchmarks Chart][BenchmarksChart]][BenchmarksChartInteractive]

<details>

| Method | Type | NumberOfValues | Mean | Error | StdDev | Median | Ratio | RatioSD | Gen0 | Gen1 | Gen2 | Allocated | Alloc Ratio | |--------- |------- |--------------- |---------------:|------------:|------------:|---------------:|------:|--------:|-------:|-------:|-------:|----------:|------------:| | Without | Int32 | 2 | 1,167.3 us | 43.27 us | 57.77 us | 1,143.9 us | 1.00 | 0.00 | - | - | - | 8.7 KB | 1.00 | | WithXml | Int32 | 2 | 526.3 us | 14.62 us | 19.51 us | 520.8 us | 0.45 | 0.03 | - | - | - | 44.86 KB | 5.16 | | WithJson | Int32 | 2 | 432.1 us | 16.57 us | 22.12 us | 427.6 us | 0.37 | 0.02 | - | - | - | 31.3 KB | 3.60 | | | | | | | |