Performance Comparison of Dapper and Entity Framework Core: Execution Speed, Memory Consumption, and CPU Usage

Purpose:  This study aims to compare Entity Framework Core (EF Core) and Dapper in terms of performance, usability, and features to determine the most suitable option based on project requirements.

Materials and Methods: A test application was developed using a relational database containing one million records, including all modeled relationships. Complex CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations were executed under controlled conditions. Key performance metrics such as execution time, memory usage, and CPU efficiency were measured and analyzed.

Results: The findings indicate that Dapper outperforms EF Core in execution speed while consuming fewer memory and CPU resources, making it more suitable for performance-critical applications.

Conclusion: Dapper is the preferred choice for applications where performance is a priority, whereas EF Core is more suitable for scenarios emphasizing developer productivity and maintainability. These results provide guidance for selecting the appropriate framework based on specific project needs.