---
title: Add a model to an ASP.NET Core MVC app
author: rick-anderson
description: Add a model to a simple ASP.NET Core app.
manager: wpickett
ms.author: riande
ms.date: 12/8/2017
ms.prod: asp.net-core
ms.technology: aspnet
ms.topic: get-started-article
uid: tutorials/first-mvc-app/adding-model
---
# Add a model to an ASP.NET Core MVC app

[!INCLUDE [adding-model](~/Includes/mvc-intro/adding-model1.md)]

Right-click the *Models* folder > **Add** > **Class**. Name the class **Movie** and add the following properties:

[!code-csharp[](~/tutorials/first-mvc-app/start-mvc/sample/MvcMovie/Models/MovieNoEF.cs?name=snippet_1)]

The `ID` field is required by the database for the primary key. 

Build the project to verify you don't have any errors. You now have a **M**odel in your **M**VC app.

## Scaffolding a controller

::: moniker range=">= aspnetcore-2.1"

In **Solution Explorer**, right-click the *Controllers* folder **> Add > New Scaffolded Item**.

![view of above step](adding-model/_static/add_controller21.png)

In the **Add Scaffold** dialog, tap **MVC Controller with views, using Entity Framework > Add**.

![Add Scaffold dialog](adding-model/_static/add_scaffold21.png)

::: moniker-end

::: moniker range="<= aspnetcore-2.0"

In **Solution Explorer**, right-click the *Controllers* folder **> Add > Controller**.

![view of above step](adding-model/_static/add_controller.png)

If the **Add MVC Dependencies** dialog appears:

* [Update Visual Studio to the latest version](https://www.visualstudio.com/downloads/). Visual Studio versions prior to 15.5 show this dialog.
* If you can't update, select **ADD**, and then follow the add controller steps again.

In the **Add Scaffold** dialog, tap **MVC Controller with views, using Entity Framework > Add**.

![Add Scaffold dialog](adding-model/_static/add_scaffold2.png)

::: moniker-end

Complete the **Add Controller** dialog:

* **Model class:** *Movie (MvcMovie.Models)*
* **Data context class:** Select the **+** icon and add the default **MvcMovie.Models.MvcMovieContext**

![Add Data context](adding-model/_static/dc.png)

* **Views:** Keep the default of each option checked
* **Controller name:** Keep the default *MoviesController*
* Tap **Add**

![Add Controller dialog](adding-model/_static/add_controller2.png)

Visual Studio creates:

* An Entity Framework Core [database context class](xref:data/ef-mvc/intro#create-the-database-context) (*Data/MvcMovieContext.cs*)
* A movies controller (*Controllers/MoviesController.cs*)
* Razor view files for Create, Delete, Details, Edit, and Index pages (<em>Views/Movies/&ast;.cshtml</em>)

The automatic creation of the database context and [CRUD](https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Create,_read,_update_and_delete) (create, read, update, and delete) action methods and views is known as *scaffolding*. You'll soon have a fully functional web application that lets you manage a movie database.

If you run the app and click on the **Mvc Movie** link, you get an error similar to the following:

``` error
An unhandled exception occurred while processing the request.

SqlException: Cannot open database "MvcMovieContext-<GUID removed>" requested by the login. The login failed.
Login failed for user 'Rick'.

System.Data.SqlClient.SqlInternalConnectionTds..ctor(DbConnectionPoolIdentity identity, SqlConnectionString 
```

You need to create the database, and you'll use the EF Core [Migrations](xref:data/ef-mvc/migrations) feature to do that. Migrations lets you create a database that matches your data model and update the database schema when your data model changes.

## Add EF tooling and perform initial migration

In this section you'll use the Package Manager Console (PMC) to:

* Add the Entity Framework Core Tools package. This package is required to add migrations and update the database.
* Add an initial migration.
* Update the database with the initial migration.

From the **Tools** menu, select **NuGet Package Manager > Package Manager Console**.

<!-- following image shared with uid: tutorials/razor-pages/model -->
  ![PMC menu](adding-model/_static/pmc.png)

In the PMC, enter the following commands:

::: moniker range=">= aspnetcore-2.1"
``` PMC
Add-Migration Initial
Update-Database
```

Ignore the following error message, we fix it in the next tutorial:

*Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Model.Validation[30000]*  
      *No type was specified for the decimal column 'Price' on entity type 'Movie'. This will cause values to be silently truncated if they do not fit in the default precision and scale. Explicitly specify the SQL server column type that can accommodate all the values using 'ForHasColumnType()'.*

::: moniker-end
::: moniker range="<= aspnetcore-2.0"

``` PMC
Install-Package Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools
Add-Migration Initial
Update-Database
```

**Note:** If you receive an error with the `Install-Package` command, open NuGet Package Manager and search for the `Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.Tools` package. This allows you to install the package or check if it's already installed. Alternatively, see the [CLI approach](#cli) if you have problems with the PMC.

::: moniker-end

The `Add-Migration` command creates code to create the initial database schema. The schema is based on the model specified in the `DbContext`(In the *Data/MvcMovieContext.cs* file). The `Initial` argument is used to name the migrations. You can use any name, but by convention you choose a name that describes the migration. See [Introduction to migrations](xref:data/ef-mvc/migrations#introduction-to-migrations) for more information.

The `Update-Database` command runs the `Up` method in the *Migrations/\<time-stamp>_Initial.cs* file, which creates the database.

<a name="cli"></a>
You can perform the preceeding steps using the command-line interface (CLI) rather than the PMC:

* Add [EF Core tooling](xref:data/ef-mvc/migrations#entity-framework-core-nuget-packages-for-migrations) to the *.csproj* file.
* Run the following commands from the console (in the project directory):

  ```console
  dotnet ef migrations add Initial
  dotnet ef database update
  ```

  If you run the app and get the error:

  ```text
  SqlException: Cannot open database "Movie" requested by the login.
  The login failed.
  Login failed for user 'user name'.
  ```

You probably have not run `dotnet ef database update`.

[!INCLUDE [adding-model](~/Includes/mvc-intro/adding-model3.md)]

::: moniker range=">= aspnetcore-2.1"
[!code-csharp[](~/tutorials/first-mvc-app/start-mvc/sample/MvcMovie21/Startup.cs?name=ConfigureServices&highlight=13-99)]
::: moniker-end
::: moniker range="<= aspnetcore-2.0"
[!code-csharp[](~/tutorials/first-mvc-app/start-mvc/sample/MvcMovie/Startup.cs?name=ConfigureServices&highlight=6-7)]
::: moniker-end

[!INCLUDE [adding-model](~/Includes/mvc-intro/adding-model4.md)]

![Intellisense contextual menu on a Model item listing the available properties for ID, Price, Release Date, and Title](adding-model/_static/ints.png)

## Additional resources

* [Tag Helpers](xref:mvc/views/tag-helpers/intro)
* [Globalization and localization](xref:fundamentals/localization)

> [!div class="step-by-step"]
> [Previous Adding a View](adding-view.md)
> [Next Working with SQL](working-with-sql.md)