Dapper

Dapper is a lightweight, high-performance object-relational mapper (ORM) for .NET, developed by the Stack Overflow team. It extends the IDbConnection interface to provide simple methods for executing SQL queries and mapping the results to .NET objects, focusing on speed and minimal overhead compared to full-featured ORMs like Entity Framework.

Also known as: Dapper.NET, Dapper ORM, Stack Overflow Dapper, Dapper Micro ORM, Dapper library

Why learn Dapper?

Developers should use Dapper when they need fast database access with minimal abstraction, such as in high-performance web applications, microservices, or scenarios where raw SQL control is preferred. It's ideal for projects requiring simple CRUD operations, complex queries, or when integrating with existing SQL-heavy codebases, as it reduces boilerplate while maintaining SQL transparency.

Learning Resources

• docs: Dapper Official Documentation
• tutorial: Getting Started with Dapper on Microsoft Learn
• video: Dapper Tutorial by Tim Corey
• course: Dapper Course on Pluralsight
• docs: Dapper GitHub Repository