Object-Relational Mappers bridge the gap between in-memory objects and relational tables, translating LINQ or method calls into SQL so developers work with domain models instead of raw queries. The convenience is real, but the abstraction leaks: understanding what SQL your ORM generates is the difference between a fast query and a full table scan. Example: chaining multiple Include() calls on separate collection navigations in Entity Framework produces a Cartesian explosion — the SQL JOIN cross-multiplies both collections, returning thousands of duplicate rows from what looks like a simple eager-load.

References

• Entity Framework Core documentation — Microsoft’s ORM documentation covering entity mapping, querying, change tracking, and persistence.
• Object-relational mapping (Wikipedia)