Microsft SQLHelper vs Dapper

Question

I am new to C#, programming for less than a year. Until now I have been using the Micrsoft SQLHelper class. (copy of text header below) I recently came across Dapper.

Question is, should I switch to using Dapper?

Although the SQLHelper class has worked with no issues, I don't know how old it is and I don't have enough experience to determine whether I should switch to using Dapper for xyz reasons. Is Dapper the preferred long term solution?

Thanks

// Microsoft Data Access Application Block for .NET // SQLHelper.cs // // This file contains the implementations of the SqlHelper and SqlHelperParameterCache // classes.

Answer 1

Is EntLib doing what you need and not inconveniencing you? Then: perhaps stay with it. Dapper would probably be more convenient in a lot of ways, and EntLib is arguably taking a complex API (ADO.NET) and making it more complex (as opposed to Dapper which aims to make things simpler for the caller), but: if the code works... shrug .

If you were starting from scratch, I'd 100% say "don't go near EntLib with a barge pole, Dapper is fine" (disclosure: I'm a little biased), but: if your code is working today, probably best not to touch it unless you have time to fix any problems you get while moving cogs.