DataLinq

DataLinq is an immutable-first, source-generated ORM for .NET that is built to be fast on repeated reads and honest about what it supports.

It is a strong fit when you want:

  • immutable models instead of ambient mutable state
  • generated types instead of reflection-heavy runtime mapping
  • aggressive row and relation caching
  • a query surface that is grounded in tests instead of ORM wishful thinking

Why It Exists

Most ORMs optimize for convenience first and clarity second. DataLinq makes a different trade.

It pushes more work to code generation and metadata so the runtime can stay simpler:

  • reads return immutable instances
  • relations are cache-aware and lazy
  • writes go through explicit mutation objects and transactions
  • supported LINQ is deliberately narrower than "all of LINQ", which keeps the behavior easier to reason about

That trade is especially useful in read-heavy applications where object identity, predictable behavior, and low repeated allocation matter.

Start Here

If you are new to DataLinq, this is the shortest sensible path:

  1. Docs Intro
  2. Installation
  3. Configuration and Model Generation
  4. Your First Query and Update

What Makes It Different

  • Immutable by default: query results are immutable model instances.
  • Source-generated model surface: DataLinq generates the concrete immutable and mutable types from model metadata.
  • Cache-aware runtime: repeated reads and relation traversal can reuse cached rows instead of rebuilding objects over and over.
  • Explicit mutation workflow: updates happen through mutable wrappers and transactions rather than hidden dirty tracking.
  • Conservative query support: the docs only promise the LINQ shapes that are actually covered by tests.

Small Example

using DataLinq;
using MyApp.Models;

var db = new MySqlDatabase<AppDb>(connectionString);

var activeUsers = db.Query().Users
    .Where(x => x.IsActive)
    .OrderBy(x => x.UserId)
    .ToList();

var user = db.Query().Users.Single(x => x.UserId == userId);
var updatedUser = user.Mutate(x => x.DisplayName = "Updated").Save();

That is the core DataLinq shape:

  • query through generated table properties
  • mutate through a mutable wrapper
  • save to get back a fresh immutable instance

Documentation

Once you are through the onboarding flow, the docs split into the main working areas:

GitHub

If you are browsing from the repository, the README stays focused on the GitHub experience. This page is the website-first landing page.

Edit this page