Key FeaturesMaster the full range of NHibernate features through detailed example recipes that you can quickly apply to your own applicationsReduce hours of application development time and get a better application architecture and improved performanceCreate, maintain, and update your database structure automatically with the help of NHibernateBook DescriptionNHibernate is a mature, flexible, scalable, and feature-complete open source project for data access. Although it sounds like an easy task to build and maintain database applications, it can be challenging to get beyond the basics and develop applications that meet your needs perfectly. NHibernate allows you to use plain SQL and stored procedures less and keep focus on your application logic instead. Learning the best practices for a NHibernate-based application will help you avoid problems and ensure that your project is a success.The book will take you from the absolute basics of NHibernate through to its most advanced features, showing you how to take full advantage of each concept to quickly create amazing database applications. You will learn several techniques for each of the four core NHibernate tasks—configuration, mapping, session and transaction management, and querying—and which techniques fit best with various types of applications. In short, you will be able to build an application using NHibernate by the end of the book.You will also learn how to best implement enterprise application architecture patterns using NHibernate, leading to clean, easy-to-understand code and increased productivity. In addition to new features, you will learn creative ways to extend the NHibernate core, as well as gaining techniques to work with the NHibernate search, shards, spatial, envers, and validation projects.What you will learnCreate a persistent object model to move data in and out of your databaseBuild the database from your model automaticallyConfigure NHibernate for use with WebForms, MVC, WPF, and WinForms applicationsCreate database queries using a variety of methodsImprove the performance of your applications using a variety of techniquesBuild an infrastructure for fast, easy, test-driven development of your data access layerImplement entity validation, auditing, full-text search, horizontal partitioning (sharding), and spatial queries using NHibernate Contrib projectsAbout the AuthorGunnar Liljas is a software architect with more than 20 years experience in developing and designing web-based solutions. His focus has been on data-driven content publishing, not only for the Web, but also for automated and on-demand print publishing. Currently, he spends most of his waking hours at the Swedish CRM supplier Revide, where he uses tools such as NHibernate and Redis to create targeted emails, text messages, and campaign web sites based on massive data sources.Hes also one of the lead contributors to the NHibernate open source project.In his spare time, Gunnar sings in two classical choirs and often performs with the renowned Norrkoping Symphony Orchestra.Alexander Zaytsev discovered his passion for IT when he was a small kid, and since then he has dedicated his life to becoming an excellent software developer. Alexander has many years experience in the IT field, analyzing, designing, and developing .NET-based enterprise applications, using cutting-edge technologies. He works as an independent consultant in the .NET space, providing technical expertise to all kinds of software development companies. He is an active member of open source and local development communities, and writes a blog at http://alexzaytsev.me. He is one of the main contributors to the NHibernate project, and one of the few people who really know the NHibernate internals.He is adept in Agile software development, and he believes that Agile practices such as test-driven development, pair programming, automated testing, continuous integration, and deployment are the keys to quality software.He lives in Auckland with his wife, Olga, and son, Stepan. In his spare time, he loves spending time with his family, cycling, and doing coding just for fun.Jason Dentler grew up in the small Texas town of Mission Valley. He started tinkering with computers as a kid in the late 1980s, and all these years later, he hasnt stopped. Hes worked in a few different industries. Currently, he builds really awesome software in higher education. Hes an Eagle Scout and a graduate of the University of Houston – Victoria.Table of ContentsThe Configuration and SchemaModels and MappingsSessions and TransactionsQueriesImproving PerformanceTestingData Access LayerExtending NHibernateNHibernate Contribution Projects