How can I pass model to an access data layer/EF core project from a separate .NET web API core project

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I have a design question; thus, no code samples

I am trying to create a Web API Core project that would use an EF Core to communicate with a database. I read about the Data Access design pattern and realize that I have to place a Web API project into a separate project from a data access project (EF Core).

I would reference a data access project (EF Core) from a Web API project and would pass a model to an EF Core project for that model to be mapped to an entity

My question is, at what project should I conduct the mapping, at the Web API project or at the data access project/EF Core?

If the mapping needs to be done at the data access layer/EF Core, how can I access/recognize the model at the EF Core project since the EF core cannot reference the Web API (Mo circular reference)

Thank you very much in advance

What I have tried:

I tried to create a custom mapper to cast an object model but not sure it is a good idea

Posted 25-Jul-23 16:24pm

Member 13304618

Updated 25-Jul-23 21:53pm

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Richard Deeming · Answer 1 · 2023-07-25T21:53:00

Quote:
the EF core cannot reference the Web API

You've just answered your own question: the mapping needs to be done in a project which has references to both the entity classes and the DTOs you're mapping to.

Personally, I'd be inclined to move the DTOs to their own project, with no references to anything else; and possibly move the mapping code to its own project as well, with references to the DTOs project and the entities project. That way, you can re-use the DTOs project to create a client for your API, and be sure that the definitions match between the server and client.