Get started with the PostgreSQL EF Core integrations

PostgreSQL is a mature, open-source object-relational database with a strong reputation for reliability, feature richness, and performance. The Aspire PostgreSQL EF Core integration lets .NET apps use Entity Framework Core to interact with a PostgreSQL database modeled in your AppHost using the PostgreSQL Hosting integration.

Why use PostgreSQL with EF Core and Aspire

Combining PostgreSQL, EF Core, and Aspire in your solution gives you:

• Zero-config local development. Aspire runs PostgreSQL from the docker.io/library/postgres container image with credentials generated automatically for you.
• Strongly-typed data access. EF Core’s DbContext maps your C# model classes to PostgreSQL tables, with full LINQ query support and compile-time safety.
• Automatic dependency injection. A single AddNpgsqlDbContext<T> call registers your DbContext subclass in the DI container — no manual connection-string wiring.
• Built-in health checks. The integration registers an EF Core CanConnectAsync health check so your orchestrator can tell when the database is reachable.
• OpenTelemetry out of the box. Logging, distributed tracing, and metrics are wired up automatically for both EF Core and the underlying Npgsql driver.
• EF migrations support. Use the standard dotnet ef migrations workflow; Aspire handles the runtime connection details.

How the pieces fit together

The PostgreSQL EF Core integration has two sides: a hosting integration used in your AppHost to model the database resource, and an EF Core client integration used in each consuming .NET app.

architecture-beta

  group apphost(server)[AppHost]
  group consumer(server)[Consuming app]

  service hosting(server)[Postgres hosting] in apphost
  service db(database)[postgresdb] in apphost

  service efcore(server)[EF Core client] in consumer
  service app(server)[App] in consumer

  hosting:R --> L:db
  db:R --> L:efcore
  efcore:R --> L:app

The hosting integration lives in your AppHost project and models the PostgreSQL server and databases as resources. The EF Core client integration lives in each consuming .NET app and uses the connection information Aspire injects to register a DbContext through dependency injection.

Getting there is a two-step process: model PostgreSQL in your AppHost, then connect from your consuming app using EF Core.

1. Model PostgreSQL in your AppHost

   Add the PostgreSQL hosting integration to your AppHost, then declare a PostgreSQL server, one or more databases, and reference them from the apps that need to talk to the database. The PostgreSQL Hosting integration reference covers every capability — adding databases, pgAdmin, pgWeb, data volumes, init scripts, and more.

   Set up PostgreSQL in the AppHost

2. Connect from your consuming app using EF Core

   Install the Aspire.Npgsql.EntityFrameworkCore.PostgreSQL package and call AddNpgsqlDbContext<T> to register your DbContext subclass. See Connect to PostgreSQL with EF Core for the full reference — connection properties, keyed services, configuration providers, health checks, and telemetry.

   Connect to PostgreSQL with EF Core

See also

• Get started with the PostgreSQL integrations
• Entity Framework Core overview
• EF Core migrations