C# Data Access: Easy SQL Server Connections with Dapper

Easy Data Handling with Dapper

Alex Maher
3 min readSep 3, 2024
SQL Server with Dapper

Ever felt like connecting C# to SQL Server is super hard? It doesn’t have to be. Let’s see how Dapper makes it easy.

When ADO.NET Feels Too Complicated

Using ADO.NET can be super tricky. It gives you a lot of control but has many parts to set up. Not great for everyday use.

Entity Framework: Helpful or Hard?

Then there’s Entity Framework (EF). EF does a lot for you, but when it breaks, it’s very hard to fix. So, it might not be the best for quick jobs.

Enter Dapper: Just Right

This is where Dapper comes in. It’s easy to use, powerful, and clear. Plus, it’s made by Stack Overflow. If they use it, we can trust it!

Setting Up a Project with Dapper

Let’s start a new project and use Dapper.

Step 1: Creating a New Project

First, open Visual Studio and start a new Windows Forms application. Name it SQLDataAccessDemo and the form Dashboard.

Step 2: Setting Up the Database

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Alex Maher

.NET C# dev with 10+ yrs exp, self-taught & passionate web developer. Sharing tips & experiences in C# and web dev.