Dynamic LINQ with Gridify in .NET

Complex query processing and dynamic data filtering can be difficult in contemporary.NET applications. One effective method of effectively querying data without hardcoding every potential filter or condition is to write dynamic LINQ queries. Making these dynamic queries, though, can be time-consuming and prone to mistakes. Here comes Gridify, a little library that makes creating dynamic LINQ queries easier. We’ll look at how to use Gridify and dynamic LINQ to simplify queries in NET in this tutorial.

What is LINQ Dynamic?

Runtime LINQ construction is possible with dynamic LINQ. You can construct inquiries based on user input, configuration files, or other dynamic sources rather than compile-time query structures. Applications like search functions and reporting systems, where the filtering criteria are unknown until runtime, require this flexibility.

Install-Package Gridify

2. Basic Setup

Let’s say you have a collection of Product objects and want to allow dynamic filtering based on properties like Name, Price, or Category.

Here’s a basic Product class.

public class Product
{
    public int Id { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public decimal Price { get; set; }
    public string Category { get; set; }
}

With Gridify, you can easily apply filters based on query strings.

using Gridify;

var products = GetProducts(); // Assume this fetches a list of products
string filter = "Name=*Laptop;Price>=1000";

var gridifiedProducts = products
    .AsQueryable()
    .ApplyFiltering(filter)
    .ToList();

In the example above, the filter string defines that the query should return products with names containing “Laptop” and a price greater than or equal to 1000.

3. Advanced Filtering and Sorting

Gridify supports more than just simple filtering. You can also apply complex filters, sort data, and paginate results.

Sorting Example

string sortBy = "Price";
var sortedProducts = products
    .AsQueryable()
    .ApplyOrdering(sortBy)
    .ToList();

Complex Filtering Example

string complexFilter = "Name=*Laptop,Category=Electronics;Price>=1000";
var filteredProducts = products
    .AsQueryable()
    .ApplyFiltering(complexFilter)
    .ToList();

4. Pagination

Pagination is straightforward with Gridify. You can specify the page number and page size directly in the query string.

string paginationFilter = "Price>=1000";
int pageNumber = 1;
int pageSize = 10;

var paginatedProducts = products
    .AsQueryable()
    .ApplyFiltering(paginationFilter)
    .ApplyOrdering("Price")
    .ApplyPaging(pageNumber, pageSize)
    .ToList();

Gridify in Action

Consider an ASP.NET Core Web API project where you need to implement dynamic querying for a list of products.

[HttpGet]
public IActionResult GetProducts(
    [FromQuery] string? filter,
    [FromQuery] string? orderBy,
    [FromQuery] int page = 1,
    [FromQuery] int pageSize = 10)
{
    var products = _context.Products.AsQueryable();

    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(filter))
    {
        products = products.ApplyFiltering(filter);
    }

    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(orderBy))
    {
        products = products.ApplyOrdering(orderBy);
    }

    var paginatedProducts = products
        .ApplyPaging(page, pageSize)
        .ToList();

    return Ok(paginatedProducts);
}

Benefits of Using Gridify

• Simplicity: Gridify simplifies the construction of dynamic queries, reducing the amount of boilerplate code.
• Flexibility: It supports a wide range of filtering, sorting, and pagination scenarios.
• Maintainability: The clean and concise syntax makes your code easier to read and maintain.
• Integration: Gridify seamlessly integrates with existing LINQ queries, allowing you to extend its capabilities with minimal effort.

Conclusion

Dynamic LINQ queries are indispensable in modern .NET applications, providing the flexibility to query data based on runtime conditions. By leveraging Gridify, you can make this process even more efficient and maintainable. Whether you’re building search functionalities, reporting tools, or complex data-driven applications, Gridify offers a robust solution to handle dynamic LINQ queries with ease.

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