In a high-performance .NET Core web application, we need to optimize database access patterns to handle thousands of requests per second. Currently, we’re using Entity Framework Core for data access, but under heavy load, we’re facing issues with connection pooling, high memory usage, and long response times.
What are some best practices for optimizing Entity Framework Core performance in a high-traffic, low-latency application?
How would you approach database connection pooling and managing database context lifetimes to minimize memory pressure and prevent connection exhaustion?
What alternative design patterns, if any, could improve data retrieval efficiency in a .NET Core application beyond typical EF Core usage (e.g., Dapper, raw SQL, or read replicas)?