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Dependency Injection & EF Migrations in ASP.NET MVC with Autofac

In this article, we'll walk through implementing Dependency Injection (DI) using Autofac in an ASP.NET MVC application and integrating Entity Framework for database operations, including setting up migrations. This approach improves code modularity, testability, and maintainability.

Setting Up Autofac for Dependency Injection

Step 1. Install Autofac Packages.

Open the Package Manager Console and run the following commands to install Autofac and its integration package for MVC.

Install-Package Autofac
Install-Package Autofac.Mvc5

Step 2. Configure Autofac.

Open Global.asax.cs and configure Autofac in the Application_Start method.

using Autofac;
using Autofac.Integration.Mvc;
using System.Reflection;
using System.Web.Mvc;
using System.Web.Optimization;
using System.Web.Routing;
using WebApplication2.Data;
using WebApplication2.IRepository;
using WebApplication2.Service;
namespace WebApplication2
{
    public class MvcApplication : System.Web.HttpApplication
    {
        protected void Application_Start()
        {
            var builder = new ContainerBuilder();
            // Register MVC controllers
            builder.RegisterControllers(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly());
            // Register DbContext for DI
            builder.RegisterType<MyDbContext>().AsSelf().InstancePerRequest();
            // Register your services here
            builder.RegisterType<ProductService>().As<IProductService>();
            // Build the Autofac container
            var container = builder.Build();
            DependencyResolver.SetResolver(new AutofacDependencyResolver(container));
            // Regular MVC application start
            AreaRegistration.RegisterAllAreas();
            FilterConfig.RegisterGlobalFilters(GlobalFilters.Filters);
            RouteConfig.RegisterRoutes(RouteTable.Routes);
            BundleConfig.RegisterBundles(BundleTable.Bundles);
        }
    }
}

Implementing Entity Framework and Migrations

Step 1. Install Entity Framework.

Run the following command in the Package Manager Console to install Entity Framework:

Install-Package EntityFramework

Step 2. Create MyDbContext.

In the WebApplication2.Data namespace, create a class named MyDbContext to represent your database context:

Create Model Class for Product.

using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
namespace WebApplication2.Models
{
    public class Product
    {
        [Key]
        public int Id { get; set; }
        public string Name { get; set; }
        public decimal Price { get; set; }
    }
}

Step 2. Create MyDbContext.

In the WebApplication2.Data namespace, create a class named MyDbContext to represent your database context:

using System.Data.Entity;
using WebApplication2.Models;
namespace WebApplication2.Data
{
    public class MyDbContext : DbContext
    {
        public MyDbContext() : base("SqlServerConnection")
        {

        }
        // Define your entities here
        public DbSet<Product> Products { get; set; }
    }
}

Step 3. Enable Migrations.

In the Package Manager Console, run the following command to enable migrations.

Enable-Migrations

Step 4. Create Initial Migration.

Create an initial migration based on your current model.

Add-Migration InitialCreate

Step 5. Update Database.

Apply the migration to the database:

Update-Database

Step 6. Add Connection String.

Add a connection string for MyDbContext in the Web.config file.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!--
  For more information on how to configure your ASP.NET application, please visit
  https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=301880
  -->
<configuration>
  <configSections>
    <!-- For more information on Entity Framework configuration, visit http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=237468 -->
    <!-- For more information on Entity Framework configuration, visit http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=237468 -->
    <section name="entityFramework" type="System.Data.Entity.Internal.ConfigFile.EntityFrameworkSection, EntityFramework, Version=6.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" requirePermission="false" />
  </configSections>
  <connectionStrings>
    <add name="SqlServerConnection" connectionString="Server=MUD\SQLEXPRESS2022;Database=DIAndMigInNetFrameWord;User Id=sa;Password=123456;" providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />
  </connectionStrings>
  <appSettings>
    <add key="webpages:Version" value="3.0.0.0" />
    <add key="webpages:Enabled" value="false" />
    <add key="ClientValidationEnabled" value="true" />
    <add key="UnobtrusiveJavaScriptEnabled" value="true" />
  </appSettings>
  <system.web>
    <compilation debug="true" targetFramework="4.8" />
    <httpRuntime targetFramework="4.8" />
  </system.web>
  <runtime>
    <assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Antlr3.Runtime" publicKeyToken="eb42632606e9261f" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-3.5.0.2" newVersion="3.5.0.2" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Microsoft.Web.Infrastructure" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-2.0.0.0" newVersion="2.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Newtonsoft.Json" publicKeyToken="30ad4fe6b2a6aeed" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-13.0.0.0" newVersion="13.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Optimization" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0-1.1.0.0" newVersion="1.1.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="WebGrease" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-1.6.5135.21930" newVersion="1.6.5135.21930" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Helpers" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0-3.0.0.0" newVersion="3.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.WebPages" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="1.0.0.0-3.0.0.0" newVersion="3.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Web.Mvc" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-5.2.9.0" newVersion="5.2.9.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Runtime.CompilerServices.Unsafe" publicKeyToken="b03f5f7f11d50a3a" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-6.0.0.0" newVersion="6.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Diagnostics.DiagnosticSource" publicKeyToken="cc7b13ffcd2ddd51" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-8.0.0.1" newVersion="8.0.0.1" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Autofac" publicKeyToken="17863af14b0044da" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-8.1.1.0" newVersion="8.1.1.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Threading.Tasks.Extensions" publicKeyToken="cc7b13ffcd2ddd51" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-4.2.0.1" newVersion="4.2.0.1" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="Microsoft.Bcl.AsyncInterfaces" publicKeyToken="cc7b13ffcd2ddd51" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-8.0.0.0" newVersion="8.0.0.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Memory" publicKeyToken="cc7b13ffcd2ddd51" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-4.0.1.2" newVersion="4.0.1.2" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.ValueTuple" publicKeyToken="cc7b13ffcd2ddd51" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-4.0.3.0" newVersion="4.0.3.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
      <dependentAssembly>
        <assemblyIdentity name="System.Buffers" publicKeyToken="cc7b13ffcd2ddd51" culture="neutral" />
        <bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-4.0.3.0" newVersion="4.0.3.0" />
      </dependentAssembly>
    </assemblyBinding>
  </runtime>
  <system.codedom>
    <compilers>
      <compiler language="c#;cs;csharp" extension=".cs" type="Microsoft.CodeDom.Providers.DotNetCompilerPlatform.CSharpCodeProvider, Microsoft.CodeDom.Providers.DotNetCompilerPlatform, Version=2.0.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" warningLevel="4" compilerOptions="/langversion:default /nowarn:1659;1699;1701" />
      <compiler language="vb;vbs;visualbasic;vbscript" extension=".vb" type="Microsoft.CodeDom.Providers.DotNetCompilerPlatform.VBCodeProvider, Microsoft.CodeDom.Providers.DotNetCompilerPlatform, Version=2.0.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" warningLevel="4" compilerOptions="/langversion:default /nowarn:41008 /define:_MYTYPE=&quot;Web&quot; /optionInfer+" />
    </compilers>
  </system.codedom>
  <entityFramework>
    <providers>
      <provider invariantName="System.Data.SqlClient" type="System.Data.Entity.SqlServer.SqlProviderServices, EntityFramework.SqlServer" />
      <!-- Removed SQLite and Npgsql providers -->
    </providers>
    <defaultConnectionFactory type="System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.SqlConnectionFactory, EntityFramework" />
  </entityFramework>
  <system.data>
    <DbProviderFactories>
      <remove invariant="System.Data.SQLite.EF6" />
      <remove invariant="System.Data.SQLite" />
      <remove invariant="Npgsql" />
      <add name="SQL Server" invariant="System.Data.SqlClient" description=".NET Framework Data Provider for SQL Server" type="System.Data.SqlClient.SqlClientFactory, System.Data, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
    </DbProviderFactories>
  </system.data>
</configuration>

Creating the Service and Repository Layers

Step 1. Create IProductService Interface.

In the WebApplication2.IRepository namespace defines an interface for the product service.

using System.Collections.Generic;
using WebApplication2.Models;
namespace WebApplication2.IRepository
{
    public interface IProductService
    {
        IEnumerable<Product> GetAllProducts();
        void AddProduct(Product product);
    }
}

Step 2. Implement ProductService.

In the WebApplication2.Service namespace, implement the ProductService class.

using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using WebApplication2.Data;
using WebApplication2.IRepository;
using WebApplication2.Models;
namespace WebApplication2.Service
{
    public class ProductService : IProductService
    {
        private readonly MyDbContext _context;
        public ProductService(MyDbContext context)
        {
            _context = context;
        }
        public IEnumerable<Product> GetAllProducts()
        {
            return _context.Products.ToList();
        }
        public void AddProduct(Product product)
        {
            _context.Products.Add(product);
            _context.SaveChanges();
        }
    }
}

Step 3. Create the Product Model.

In the WebApplication2.Data namespace, create a Product model class.

using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
namespace WebApplication2.Models
{
    public class Product
    {
        [Key]
        public int Id { get; set; }
        public string Name { get; set; }
        public decimal Price { get; set; }
    }
}

Creating the MVC Controller

Create a controller to handle requests related to products.

Step 1. Create ProductController.

In the Controllers folder, create a ProductController

using System.Web.Mvc;
using WebApplication2.IRepository;
using WebApplication2.Models;
namespace WebApplication2.Controllers
{
    public class ProductController : Controller
    {
        private readonly IProductService _productService;
        public ProductController(IProductService productService)
        {
            _productService = productService;
        }
        public ActionResult Index()
        {
            var products = _productService.GetAllProducts();
            return View(products);
        }
        [HttpGet]
        public ActionResult Create()
        {
            return View();
        }
        [HttpPost]
        public ActionResult Create(Product product)
        {
            if (ModelState.IsValid)
            {
                _productService.AddProduct(product);
                return RedirectToAction("Index");
            }
            return View(product);
        }
    }
}

Step 2. Create the View.

In the Views/Product folder, create a view named Index. cshtml.

@model IEnumerable<WebApplication2.Models.Product>
@{
    ViewBag.Title = "Index";
}
<h2>Index</h2>
<p>
    @Html.ActionLink("Create New", "Create")
</p>
<table class="table">
    <tr>
        <th>
            @Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.Name)
        </th>
        <th>
            @Html.DisplayNameFor(model => model.Price)
        </th>
        <th></th>
    </tr>
@foreach (var item in Model) {
    <tr>
        <td>
            @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.Name)
        </td>
        <td>
            @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.Price)
        </td>
        <td>
            @Html.ActionLink("Edit", "Edit", new { id=item.Id }) |
            @Html.ActionLink("Details", "Details", new { id=item.Id }) |
            @Html.ActionLink("Delete", "Delete", new { id=item.Id })
        </td>
    </tr>
}
</table>

Step 3. Create the View.

In the Views/Product folder, create a view named Create. cshtml.

@model WebApplication2.Models.Product
@{
    ViewBag.Title = "View";
}
<h2>View</h2>
@using (Html.BeginForm()) 
{
    @Html.AntiForgeryToken()
    
    <div class="form-horizontal">
        <h4>Product</h4>
        <hr />
        @Html.ValidationSummary(true, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
        <div class="form-group">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Name, htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
            <div class="col-md-10">
                @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Name, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
                @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Name, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
            </div>
        </div>
        <div class="form-group">
            @Html.LabelFor(model => model.Price, htmlAttributes: new { @class = "control-label col-md-2" })
            <div class="col-md-10">
                @Html.EditorFor(model => model.Price, new { htmlAttributes = new { @class = "form-control" } })
                @Html.ValidationMessageFor(model => model.Price, "", new { @class = "text-danger" })
            </div>
        </div>
        <div class="form-group">
            <div class="col-md-offset-2 col-md-10">
                <input type="submit" value="Create" class="btn btn-default" />
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
}
<div>
    @Html.ActionLink("Back to List", "Index")
</div>
@section Scripts {
    @Scripts.Render("~/bundles/jqueryval")
}

Step 3. Create the View.

Add the controller and Actions link in Layout Files.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>@ViewBag.Title - My ASP.NET Application</title>
    @Styles.Render("~/Content/css")
    @Scripts.Render("~/bundles/modernizr")
</head>
<body>
    <nav class="navbar navbar-expand-sm navbar-toggleable-sm navbar-dark bg-dark">
        <div class="container">
            @Html.ActionLink("Application name", "Index", "Home", new { area = "" }, new { @class = "navbar-brand" })
            <button type="button" class="navbar-toggler" data-bs-toggle="collapse" data-bs-target=".navbar-collapse" title="Toggle navigation" aria-controls="navbarSupportedContent"
                    aria-expanded="false" aria-label="Toggle navigation">
                <span class="navbar-toggler-icon"></span>
            </button>
            <div class="collapse navbar-collapse d-sm-inline-flex justify-content-between">
                <ul class="navbar-nav flex-grow-1">
                    <li>@Html.ActionLink("Home", "Index", "Home", new { area = "" }, new { @class = "nav-link" })</li>
                    <li>@Html.ActionLink("About", "About", "Home", new { area = "" }, new { @class = "nav-link" })</li>
                    <li>@Html.ActionLink("Contact", "Contact", "Home", new { area = "" }, new { @class = "nav-link" })</li>
                    <li>@Html.ActionLink("Product", "Index", "Product", new { area = "" }, new { @class = "nav-link" })</li>
                </ul>
            </div>
        </div>
    </nav>
    <div class="container body-content">
        @RenderBody()
        <hr />
        <footer>
            <p>&copy; @DateTime.Now.Year - My ASP.NET Application</p>
        </footer>
    </div>

    @Scripts.Render("~/bundles/jquery")
    @Scripts.Render("~/bundles/bootstrap")
    @RenderSection("scripts", required: false)
</body>
</html>

Database Creation

After doing all of this, just run the migration.

Create Initial Migration

After enabling migrations, generate the initial migration based on your current model:

Add-Migration InitialCreate

This command creates a migration class in the Migrations folder that defines the initial schema for your database based on the Product model and the MyDbContext.

Update Database

Now, apply the migration to the database with the following command.

Update-Database

This command will create the database and tables defined in your MyDbContext. If your connection string is set up correctly, the database will be created in your SQL Server instance.

SQL Server

Running the Application

  1. Run the application in Visual Studio.
  2. Navigate to http://localhost:8081/Product/Index
  3. You should see the products displayed in a table.

Output

Output

Product

Project Resources

Github project link.

Code

Commit

Conclusion

In this article, we successfully implemented Dependency Injection using Autofac and integrated Entity Framework for data access in an ASP.NET MVC application. This setup allows for better separation of concerns, making the application easier to maintain and test.

By following these steps, you can extend this architecture to accommodate more complex business logic, additional services, and different data operations as needed. Happy coding!


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