I am coming from an Entity Framework and LLBL background for my ORM tools.
I have been asked to build a new system based on NHibernate. I have never done so, so I am coming at it with fresh eyes.
What is the difference between mapping with Fluent NHibernate and "Mapping By Code" in NHibernate? Is there a preference?
Fluent NHibernate offers an alternative to NHibernate's standard XML mapping files. Rather than writing XML documents, you write mappings in strongly typed C# code. This allows for easy refactoring, improved readability and more concise code.
vs.
It is an XML-less mapping solution being an integral part of NHibernate since 3.2, based on ConfORM library. Its API tries to conform to XML naming and structure. There's a strong convention in how the mapping methods are built. Its names are almost always equal to XML elements names.