EF Core vs Dapper: Which Should You Use? (Zero to Pro)

Every .NET app has to talk to a database, and there are two very different ways to do it: EF Core and Dapper. Both get data out of SQL and into your objects, but they take almost opposite approaches to get there. This video breaks down what EF Core's full-ORM model actually does (LINQ, change tracking, migrations), how Dapper's micro-ORM approach differs (raw SQL, extension methods on IDbConnection, compiled mapping), the runtime mechanism behind each one, the productivity tradeoff between migrations and hand-written SQL, the change-tracker gotcha that silently causes N+1 queries in EF Core (and why Dapper can't do that — but also won't save what you don't write), and when to reach for each one. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro — EF Core vs Dapper 0:19 A Full ORM Built Around Your Model (EF Core) 0:37 A Thin Layer Over Raw SQL (Dapper) 1:02 Two Very Different Runtime Paths 1:30 Convenience vs Control 1:59 The Gotcha — The Change Tracker Is Always Watching 2:39 Different Jobs, Different Tool 2:59 Recap — Not Which Is Better