Edmx in Entity Framework C#

What is .EDMX file in Entity Framework? EDMX stands for Entity Data Model XML, a file template provided by .Net framework.

Let's add a edmx file in your project. just right click on your .net project and add an "Ado.Net Entity Data Model" file as shown below. the file extension would be .edmx

While adding a edmx file in your project, either you can generate model from database, or you can create empty model.

Add Edmx in Entity Framework

Now let's look at how edmx file look like, simply expand each node under edmx file you just created in solution

Earlier during database connection setup we have talked about CSDL, SSDL, MSL, but here in this solution you are not seeing them, so probably you have a question where are those files.

CSDL, SSDL, MSL files are generated at build time, so once you compile (Control + shift + B) the application those files will be generated in bin folder, during build it takes Meta information from edmx file, Then during run time assembly uses that information from embedded resources.

But here are the steps to see those files, open your solution and just click on

“Show all files”, then expand “Obj” => “Debug” => “edmxResourcesToEmbed”.

CSDL, MSL, SSDL are all embedded resources in Entity Framework edmx file