Entity Framework Core introduces the Code-First approach, allowing developers to define the model using code rather than through a visual designer. This offers greater flexibility and advanced capabilities in defining and customizing the database model.

Entity Framework Core handles data loading differently, particularly in how it performs eager loading, lazy loading, and explicit loading. Understanding these differences is crucial for optimizing performance and scalability in applications.

Entity Framework Core provides enhanced support for JSON serialization, enabling seamless integration with modern cloud services that often rely on JSON data. This enhanced support contributes to better performance and interoperability in cloud-based applications.

Entity Framework Core is specifically designed for cross-platform development, offering support for multiple platforms including Windows, Linux, and macOS. It is a lightweight, extensible, and open-source ORM framework that works well with .NET Core and .NET 5+ projects, making it the preferred choice for cross-platform applications.

Entity Framework Core is optimized for high-performance scenarios, including batch processing, due to its lightweight nature and improved performance over previous versions. It offers better memory management, faster query execution, and support for modern database features, making it the preferred choice for projects requiring high-performance batch processing.

Data Annotations in Entity Framework primarily serve for data validation purposes. They allow developers to specify constraints directly on the entity properties, such as maximum length, required fields, and regular expressions for data format. This helps ensure data integrity at the application level before interacting with the database.

Fluent API is preferred over Data Annotations when dealing with complex scenarios, such as configuring many-to-many relationships or defining intricate mappings. Its flexibility and granularity allow developers to express complex configurations with clarity and precision. While Data Annotations offer a straightforward approach, they lack the expressiveness and advanced features necessary for handling such scenarios effectively.

Entity Framework Core offers better integration with modern cloud services due to its support for .NET Core and .NET 5+, which are more aligned with cloud-native development. It provides better support for microservices architecture, containerization, and cloud deployment options like Azure Functions, AWS Lambda, and Docker containers, making it the preferred choice for cloud-integrated solutions.

In Entity Framework, the method OnModelCreating in the DbContext class is primarily used for configuring relationships using Fluent API. This method is called by the framework when the model for a derived context has been initialized, allowing developers to define entity configurations, including relationships, using a fluent syntax for more complex mappings.

Navigation properties in Entity Framework are typically configured using Fluent API. This approach allows developers to define the relationship between entities explicitly, specifying details such as foreign key properties, multiplicity, and navigation property names, providing more control and flexibility over how the database schema is generated from the entity model.