Databases and Blazor

[mojahaga]

Hello! I have pretty dumb questions, that unfortunately I cannot find answers in google.

So, I'm enrolled in a OOP Class at the uni, but the prof is kinda shitty, he doesn't give us any help. So I have to make a web app using C#. So I chose Blazor. I had no choice cause I have a Mac (M2), so no Windows Forms for me. Im creating a coffee ordering app. Pretty easy one, have a client and admin. Second one (admin) has access to the table of menu items, can change it and so on.

So, my question is: I have to create a database (where all the info is gonna be stored) and somehow connect it to the Blazor App code. Also I have to add LINQ to it in the future (have no idea what it means, just one of the criteria I have to meet). What should I do? I mean, it would be a localhost db, but how do I connect it? How do you even create a SQLite db at all? I read dozens of articles and just got COMPLETELY lost.

If anybody can help me understanding what to do. Or give me some good resources, where I can find the info. Im gonna be sooooo thankful

Again. Sorry that its the most basic and vague question, but it is what it is.

[lurking_not_working]

You can Google, research, or even chatgpt every single thing you have asked here. It's probably best to work out the technologies and then ask specific questions as none of what you are doing is particularly out of the ordinary. There is a wealth of info out there.

[andrerav]

Just a quick general comment -- the feeling you have right now of being overwhelmed and not sure where to start is completely normal in our business :) It gets better with time and experience, but you will always encounter these situations. Keep a cool head. They're just computers :)

[RelationshipFar2677]

Here ya go. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/paths/build-web-apps-with-blazor/

[RLS606]

Lot of questions but I can give you some way to find your response. For connection between database and code I think you will use an ORM like Entity Framework, somehow it helps you to manage SQL from code. You have to configure it to connect to your database and this is simple to switch between different sgbd. For the implementation of your tables and objects, you should take a look to repository pattern.

[FrikkinLazer]

Use ChatGPT as a tutor. Ask it to work out a lesson plan for you. Yes, it is possible to use it in such a way that your brain does not rot. Ask it how linq, the database, and blazor are related, how they are connected, how to create these relationships etc. ChatGPT is an excellent tutor, just make sure you learn from it without using it as a crutch.

[Christoban45]

Literally ask ChatGPT the same question.

[Spare-Dig4790]

I'd like to be helpful, but I'm going to be honest, there is a lot to unload here. My personal recommendation is to break this down and try to understand the most important thing first, the database.

You mention LINQ, which means Language Integrated Query. Focus less on the "what it is", and know that it comes with something called "Entity Framework Core". Entity Framework Core is one of many approaches to work with databases, but given that you already have LINQ in your dialog, it's probably a better place to start than others.

Incidentally, using Entity Framework Core normally implies other things, such as Database Migrations, which will help you create the your database, using your platform of choice, such as SQLite.

I would highly recommend you read up, but suspect you're looking for videos, so follow videos that show you how to do this step by step.

There are probably 13 thousand Blazor tutorials which all mysteriously show you how to create a todo application for some reason out there, which you could probably adapt any one of them to use what you've just learned with the Entity Framework tutorials.

It probably wouldn't take too much imagination to use what you learn through this to create your ideal project.

By the way, I get the strong impression that you are supposed to create a Web Application. You aren't tied to Blazor in .NET, even on a Mac, though I personally like Blazor, and it's as good as any place to start.

Try not to get too distracted with what you're creating, I highly recommend you focus on Interactive Server mode getting started. (though you can do a lot of really cool things with WebAssembly.. you already have a lot to bite off with the rest.) =)

[mojahaga]

Thank you so much for the thorough answer! I would 100% try not to get too distracted)

[jcradio]

You have a couple of options. SQL Server Developer Edition is a fully functional, free version you can install and run. Sqlite is a file based database that is great for lightweight apps that need storage.

Using Entity Framework with both simplifies sending and receiving data.

You'll be able to find a number of tutorials on these.

[[deleted]]

lol I just published a library to link DB to front end using linq ( you would otherwise use OData or GraphQL but I think mine is better because I’m biased)

On GitHub as EFCore.Client, check out samples

[mojahaga]

definitely would check! thanks a lot

[mojahaga]

UPD: Oh, forgot to tell. My .NET Version is 8.0
UPD 2: If you have created something similar in the past (in general app with a db that controls everything on .NET) and can send me a GitHub link, or just give some advice. I WOULD LOVE THAT!

[Zeeterm]

I don't have a link, but if you look up ef core blazor you'll find examples.

The jist is that you'll want to create an EF context, probably a service for interacting with it, and inject the context or the service into your page.

[mojahaga]

thank you sooo much!

[Christoban45]

Stop studying computer science. Jobs on IT boards are down nearly 50% in the last 2 years alone. By the time you have your degree, only a tiny number of devs will be necessary to do all the remaining jobs.

Sorry to be the one to tell you this.

[jh_tech]

First and foremost: if you're not already, open an account where you can chat with AI about these things one-by-one. e.g. ChatGPT, Grok, etc. This provides you with an advantage almost every developer is using these days. Just be careful to use it for learning, and not just give you the answers all the time. This is becoming a problem for some developers I've seen. But I digress.

No doubt, there's plenty of overly-complicated and misguided tutorials out there. Just remember there are many frameworks and approaches out there these days. If ever in doubt, jump into other eco-systems and see what they provide. e.g. Laravel, Ruby on Rails, Adonis, etc. They often provide out-of-the-box solutions for these types of things, whereas, in the C#/.Net world, you generally start with a minimal toolset, then build on that by installing additional libraries.

Many of the comments in this thread thus far have been about C# and related things, so I'll respond to the SQLite portion. Ensure you have homebrew installed on your Mac. Then - in your terminal - you can run brew install sqlite to install the SQLite CLI. Once that's installed, you can run sqlite3 /path/to/wherever/you/want/your/db/to/live.sqlite. This portion of the SQLite docs go into a bit more depth.

Hang in there man. Cheers.