Dapper vs Sequelize: What are the differences?

Introduction

In this markdown, we will compare the key differences between Dapper and Sequelize.

1. Database Connections: Dapper is primarily designed for .NET applications and provides more flexibility in terms of database connections. It supports various databases like SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, etc. On the other hand, Sequelize is an ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) for Node.js applications and mainly focuses on connecting with relational databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, etc.

2. Querying and Data Manipulation: Dapper offers direct SQL querying where developers have complete control over the SQL statements. It allows users to write raw SQL queries and map the result sets to custom objects. Sequelize, being an ORM, provides a more abstracted way of interacting with the database. It uses JavaScript methods to perform CRUD operations and handles the SQL generation and data mapping internally.

3. Model Definition and Associations: In Dapper, developers have to manually define the model classes and relationships between them. There is no built-in support for defining associations or enforcing constraints. Sequelize, on the other hand, provides a high-level API for defining models with predefined associations like one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many. It also allows developers to enforce constraints at the schema level.

4. Migrations: Dapper does not provide any built-in migration functionality. If there is a need to make database schema changes, it has to be done manually. Sequelize, on the other hand, comes with a powerful migration framework. It allows developers to define migrations using JavaScript or TypeScript and handles the database schema changes automatically.

5. Transaction Management: Dapper offers explicit transaction management where developers have to explicitly begin, commit, or rollback transactions. It provides fine-grained control over transactions. Sequelize, being an ORM, handles transactions internally. Developers can simply call the transaction method and perform multiple database operations within a single transaction.

6. Documentation and Community Support: Dapper has good documentation but it may lack detailed examples for complex use cases. It also has a smaller community compared to Sequelize. Sequelize has extensive documentation with comprehensive examples that cover various use cases. It also has a larger community and active support from the developers.

In summary, Dapper is more suitable for .NET applications with different database options and a need for fine-grained control over SQL queries. Sequelize, on the other hand, is a powerful ORM for Node.js applications that abstracts away the complexities of database operations, provides a migration framework, and offers extensive documentation and community support.