Setting Unique Constraint with Fluent API

Setting unique Constraint with fluent API?

On EF6.2, you can use HasIndex() to add indexes for migration through fluent API.

https://github.com/aspnet/EntityFramework6/issues/274

Example

modelBuilder
    .Entity<User>()
    .HasIndex(u => u.Email)
        .IsUnique();

On EF6.1 onwards, you can use IndexAnnotation() to add indexes for migration in your fluent API.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/jj591617.aspx#PropertyIndex

You must add reference to:

using System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.Annotations;

Basic Example

Here is a simple usage, adding an index on the User.FirstName property

modelBuilder 
    .Entity<User>() 
    .Property(t => t.FirstName) 
    .HasColumnAnnotation(IndexAnnotation.AnnotationName, new IndexAnnotation(new IndexAttribute()));

Practical Example:

Here is a more realistic example. It adds a unique index on multiple properties: User.FirstName and User.LastName, with an index name "IX_FirstNameLastName"

modelBuilder 
    .Entity<User>() 
    .Property(t => t.FirstName) 
    .IsRequired()
    .HasMaxLength(60)
    .HasColumnAnnotation(
        IndexAnnotation.AnnotationName, 
        new IndexAnnotation(
            new IndexAttribute("IX_FirstNameLastName", 1) { IsUnique = true }));

modelBuilder 
    .Entity<User>() 
    .Property(t => t.LastName) 
    .IsRequired()
    .HasMaxLength(60)
    .HasColumnAnnotation(
        IndexAnnotation.AnnotationName, 
        new IndexAnnotation(
            new IndexAttribute("IX_FirstNameLastName", 2) { IsUnique = true }));

Entity Framework unique key with fluent api?

In Entity Framework >= 6.2,

In DbContext:

protected override void OnModelCreating(DbModelBuilder modelBuilder)
{
     base.OnModelCreating(modelBuilder);

     modelBuilder.Entity<RecordType>().HasIndex(u => u.RecordType).IsUnique();
}

In Entity Framework < 6.2

In DbContext:

protected override void OnModelCreating(DbModelBuilder modelBuilder)
{
     base.OnModelCreating(modelBuilder);

     modelBuilder.Entity<RecordType>().Property(t => t.RecordType).HasMaxLength(1)
                                  .HasColumnAnnotation(IndexAnnotation.AnnotationName, new IndexAnnotation(new IndexAttribute("Ix_RecordType"){IsUnique = true}));
}

Or in a separate configuration file:

public class RecordTypeConfiguration : EntityTypeConfiguration<RecordType>
{
    public RecordTypeConfiguration()
    {
        HasKey(i => i.Id);

        Property(e => e.RecordType).HasColumnType("VARCHAR").HasMaxLength(1);

        Property(t => t.RecordType).HasColumnAnnotation(IndexAnnotation.AnnotationName, new IndexAnnotation(new IndexAttribute("Ix_RecordType"){IsUnique = true}));

     }
}

Entity Framework Core add unique constraint code-first

On EF core you cannot create Indexes using data annotations.But you can do it using the Fluent API.

Like this inside your {Db}Context.cs:

protected override void OnModelCreating(ModelBuilder builder)
{
    builder.Entity<User>()
        .HasIndex(u => u.Email)
        .IsUnique();
}

...or if you're using the overload with the buildAction:

protected override void OnModelCreating(ModelBuilder builder)
{
    builder.Entity<User>(entity => {
        entity.HasIndex(e => e.Email).IsUnique();
    });
}

You can read more about it here : Indexes

EF Code First Fluent API define unique constraint

I have this problem occurred before

it can not implement unique constrain using fluent API。

so, the way you used is correct!

Creating Unique Index with Entity Framework 6.1 fluent API

NOTE: Relevant to EF 6

You can use IndexAttribute as mentioned but with Fluent API instead of DataAnnotations which will do the trick:

modelBuilder 
    .Entity<Person>() 
    .Property(t => t.Name) 
    .HasColumnAnnotation( 
        "Index",  
        new IndexAnnotation(new IndexAttribute("IX_Name") { IsUnique = true }));

Unfortunately there is no other way to create unique indexes using Fluent API. There is an open issue regarding this feature: Unique Constraints (Unique Indexes)

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UPDATE: Entity Framework Core
In the latest EF Core release you can rely on Fluent API to specify indexes without additional tricks.

HasIndex allows to define it:

modelBuilder 
    .Entity<Person>()
    .HasIndex(x => x.Name);

Hence it returs IndexBuilder object you can use it for further index configurations (i.e uniqueness):

modelBuilder 
    .Entity<Person>()
    .HasIndex(x => x.Name)
    .IsUnique();

Create Unique constraint for 'true' only in EF Core

You can specify index filter using the HasFilter fluent API.

Unfortunately it's not database agnostic, so you have to use the target database SQL syntax and actual table column names.

For Sql Server it would be something like this:

.HasIndex(e => new { e.RecordId, e.IsPrimary })
.IsUnique()
.HasFilter("[IsPrimary] = 1");

or

    .HasIndex(e => new { e.RecordId, e.IsPrimary })
    .IsUnique()
    .HasFilter($"[{nameof(RecordAttachment.IsPrimary)}] = 1");

For more information, see Relational Database Modeling - Indexes documentation topic.

Unique Key constraints for multiple columns in Entity Framework

With Entity Framework 6.1, you can now do this:

[Index("IX_FirstAndSecond", 1, IsUnique = true)]
public int FirstColumn { get; set; }

[Index("IX_FirstAndSecond", 2, IsUnique = true)]
public int SecondColumn { get; set; }

The second parameter in the attribute is where you can specify the order of the columns in the index.

More information: MSDN

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