CI/.NET: Fix test matrix for EF Core integration tests

[amotl]

What the title says.

[coderabbitai]

Walkthrough

Updates the C# Entity Framework Core GitHub Actions workflow to replace include-based constraints with exclude-based constraints for Npgsql 10.x testing. Excludes .NET 8.x and 9.x from the 10.* Npgsql row, introduces prerelease handling, and adjusts the test matrix control flow accordingly.

Changes

Cohort / File(s)	Summary
CI Workflow Matrix Configuration .github/workflows/lang-csharp-efcore.yml	Switches Npgsql 10.x test matrix from include-based to exclude-based constraints; excludes .NET 8.x and 9.x from 10.* Npgsql variants; introduces prerelease handling; updates comment to clarify that Npgsql.EntityFrameworkCore.PostgreSQL 10.0.0+ requires .NET 10

Estimated code review effort

🎯 2 (Simple) | ⏱️ ~8 minutes

• Verify that the exclude-based constraint logic correctly targets .NET 8.x and 9.x only for the 10.* Npgsql row
• Confirm prerelease handling is properly integrated into the matrix configuration
• Ensure the comment accurately reflects the minimum .NET requirement for Npgsql 10.0.0+
• Check that the matrix reordering doesn't unintentionally skip or duplicate test combinations

Possibly related PRs

• .NET/CI: Improve testing, also against pre-release versions of Npgsql #1257 — Also modifies the same .github/workflows/lang-csharp-efcore.yml CI workflow to change the Npgsql version matrix and add prerelease handling.
• .NET: Npgsql 10 has been released #1276 — Modifies the same GitHub Actions C# EF Core workflow's Npgsql version matrix to adjust Npgsql 10.* and prerelease handling using different constraint approaches.
• .NET/CI: Validate on .NET 8.x, 9.x #1252 — Modifies the same GitHub Actions workflow to adjust which .NET SDK versions are tested in the CI matrix.

Suggested reviewers

• seut
• matriv

Poem

🐰 A matrix we shuffle with exclude instead,

Npgsql ten and dotnet threads spread,

Eight and nine now sit this one out,

Prerelease joins the testing route! 🎯

Pre-merge checks and finishing touches

✅ Passed checks (3 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Title check	✅ Passed	The title accurately describes the main change: fixing the test matrix configuration for EF Core integration tests in the CI workflow.
Description check	✅ Passed	The description is minimal but relates to the changeset by referencing the title, which describes fixing the test matrix for EF Core integration tests.
Docstring Coverage	✅ Passed	No functions found in the changed files to evaluate docstring coverage. Skipping docstring coverage check.

✨ Finishing touches

🧪 Generate unit tests (beta)

• Create PR with unit tests
• Post copyable unit tests in a comment
• Commit unit tests in branch fix-ci-efcore

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📜 Recent review details

Configuration used: CodeRabbit UI

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Pro

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between eaa2f9c and f3ee0de.

📒 Files selected for processing (1)

• .github/workflows/lang-csharp-efcore.yml (1 hunks)

🧰 Additional context used

🧠 Learnings (2)

📓 Common learnings

Learnt from: amotl
Repo: crate/cratedb-examples PR: 1257
File: .github/workflows/lang-csharp-npgsql.yml:85-100
Timestamp: 2025-11-15T16:07:11.721Z
Learning: In the cratedb-examples repository CI workflows for .NET/Npgsql testing, conditional branches in test scripts (such as for "latest" versions) are intentionally kept even when not currently in the matrix, to allow easy toggling on/off by modifying the matrix values without changing the script logic.

📚 Learning: 2025-11-15T16:07:11.721Z

Learnt from: amotl
Repo: crate/cratedb-examples PR: 1257
File: .github/workflows/lang-csharp-npgsql.yml:85-100
Timestamp: 2025-11-15T16:07:11.721Z
Learning: In the cratedb-examples repository CI workflows for .NET/Npgsql testing, conditional branches in test scripts (such as for "latest" versions) are intentionally kept even when not currently in the matrix, to allow easy toggling on/off by modifying the matrix values without changing the script logic.

Applied to files:

• .github/workflows/lang-csharp-efcore.yml

🔇 Additional comments (3)

.github/workflows/lang-csharp-efcore.yml (3)

52-66: ✓ Well-structured matrix expansion with sound constraint strategy.

The shift from include- to exclude-based constraints is cleaner and more maintainable. The four exclusions correctly prevent incompatible .NET 8.x/9.x combinations from being paired with Npgsql 10.* and prerelease versions, while allowing .NET 10.x to test against all variants.

The matrix will execute 8 test combinations:

• .NET 8.x and 9.x with Npgsql 8.* and 9.* (4 combos)
• .NET 10.x with all Npgsql versions (4 combos)

The comment at line 57 clearly explains the constraint rationale.

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105-111: Prerelease handling is properly integrated.

The test script already includes conditional logic for "prerelease" (line 105–106), so the new matrix entry will be handled correctly. The "latest" branch (line 107) remains present even though not in the current matrix—this is intentional per the learnings, allowing easy toggling via matrix changes without modifying script logic.

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52-66: Based on my verification, I can now provide the rewritten review comment. The web search confirms that .NET 10.x is backward compatible with packages targeting older .NET frameworks (net8.0, net9.0). The workflow's current exclusion strategy is correct and already addresses the actual compatibility constraint.

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The workflow exclusions are correct; .NET 10.x is fully compatible with Npgsql 8. and 9. versions.**

.NET 10.x maintains backward compatibility with packages targeting net8.0 and net9.0 frameworks. Npgsql.EntityFrameworkCore.PostgreSQL 8.x and 9.x target these frameworks, so they will run on .NET 10.x without issues. The existing exclusions—preventing .NET 8.x and 9.x from testing with Npgsql 10.*—are appropriate since Npgsql 10 requires .NET 10. No additional exclusions are needed.

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