What is ORM?
ORM stands for Object-Relational Mapping. It is a programming technique used to convert data between incompatible type systems in object-oriented programming languages. ORM allows developers to interact with a database using the programming language's object-oriented paradigm, rather than writing raw SQL queries.
Here are some key features and benefits of ORM:
Abstraction: ORM provides a higher level of abstraction over database interactions, allowing developers to work with objects instead of tables and rows.
Productivity: By using ORM, developers can save time and reduce the amount of boilerplate code needed for database operations, as many common tasks are handled automatically.
Maintainability: Code that uses ORM is often easier to read and maintain, as it aligns more closely with the application's domain model.
Database Independence: Many ORM frameworks allow for easier switching between different database systems, as they abstract away the specific SQL dialects.
Automatic Mapping: ORM frameworks automatically map database tables to classes and rows to objects, simplifying the process of data manipulation.
Query Building: Most ORM tools provide a way to build queries using the programming language's syntax, which can help prevent SQL injection attacks and make queries easier to construct.
Popular ORM frameworks include:
While ORM can greatly simplify database interactions, it may also introduce some performance overhead and may not be suitable for all use cases, particularly those requiring complex queries or optimizations.