Version 7 of Entity Framework represents a major redesign of the 6-year-old ORM. As we reported back in May, the framework is targeting a wide variety of platforms including “traditional .NET Framework applications (WPF, WinForms, Console, and ASP.NET 4), Phone/Store/Universal, and ASP.NET 5 (a.k.a ASP.NET vNext).”

Unlike the original version which was focused on SQL Server, EF 7 has plans for multiple databases out of the box. Rowan Miller writes,

In terms of data stores, we have experimented with SQL Server, SQLite, InMemory, Azure Table Storage, and Redis providers. We’ve also had discussions with other folks looking at DocumentDB, SQL Compact, and MongoDB providers.

Of these, SQL Server is still the first priority followed by PostgreSQL, which they consider to be “the standard Mac/Linux environment”. Support for OS X and Linux is important because of their commitment to targeting ASP.NET 5 and .NET Core.

After ASP.NET 5, their priorities include, Implement additional features

Support EF7 on other platforms (Phone, Store, etc.)

Deliver additional providers that our team will own (SQLite, Azure Table Storage, etc.)

It should be noted that the initial release of EF 7 for ASP.NET is not intended to be their recommended version. Rowan continues,