What are Self-Tracking Entities (STE) in .NET and How Do They Improve Disconnected Data Handling?

Understanding the Purpose and Benefits of Self-Tracking Entities

In the realm of .NET development, the concept of self-tracking entities (STE) has emerged with the ability to enhance data handling capabilities. However, it's essential to grasp the distinct advantages these entities offer over their traditional counterparts.

Key Differences between STE and Traditional Entities

Unlike regular entity types (POCO, EntityObject), STE inherently track changes even after being detached from an active ObjectContext. This allows them to maintain an awareness of modifications, even when disconnected from the data source. This change tracking functionality becomes incredibly valuable in disconnected scenarios, as it eliminates the need for manual merge operations on return.

Use Cases for STE

The primary application of STE lies in disconnected scenarios involving communication between .NET applications over web services. In such cases, the first web service request generates and returns STE. Despite the disconnection that occurs during serialization, STE retains its change tracking ability. Thus, when the client makes modifications and sends the STE back in a subsequent web service call, the service can seamlessly process these changes.

Advantages over RIA Services

While both STE and RIA services offer disconnected functionality, STE provides certain advantages. By sharing STE code between server and client, developers can avoid the complexity of handling change tracking manually. This streamlines the process of incorporating changes received from the client into the database's current state, especially when dealing with complex object graphs.

Conclusion

Self-tracking entities are a powerful tool that simplifies data handling in disconnected scenarios by providing a means to track changes even after detachment from the data source. Their ease of use and adaptability make them a valuable asset for .NET developers seeking efficient and robust solutions for handling disconnected data operations.

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