Entity Framework Core DeleteBehavior for not to take action

Question

I am using EF Core 6.0. When I delete the parent row, I would like to not take action(remove or setnull foreign key column) child row and remanining child row and foreign key column's value.

I tried NoAction behavior but NoAction is the same with Restrict behavior.

Answer 1

Delete NoAction and Delete Restrict are, almost, the same thing. See the important part: "both of these options cause referential constraints to be enforced".

In a relational database, referential constraint (or referential integrity) means that a value in a foreign key should exist on the referenced table, they cannot be a value in a foreign key that not exists in the referenced table. (Thank you, @IvanStoev, about notice me to include this content)

Quoting Impact on database schema MS docs:

The behaviors of ON DELETE NO ACTION (the database default) and ON DELETE RESTRICT in relational databases are typically either identical or very similar. Despite what NO ACTION may imply, both of these options cause referential constraints to be enforced. The difference, when there is one, is when the database checks the constraints. Check your database documentation for the specific differences between ON DELETE NO ACTION and ON DELETE RESTRICT on your database system.

SQL Server doesn't support ON DELETE RESTRICT, so ON DELETE NO ACTION is used instead.

The only values that will cause cascading behaviors on the database are Cascade and SetNull. All other values will configure the database to not cascade any changes.

The following table shows the result of each OnDelete value on the foreign key constraint created by EF Core migrations or EnsureCreated:

DeleteBehavior	Impact on database schema
Cascade	ON DELETE CASCADE
Restrict	ON DELETE RESTRICT
NoAction	database default
SetNull	ON DELETE SET NULL
ClientSetNull	database default
ClientCascade	database default
ClientNoAction	database default