ASP.NET MVC wants me to store my SQL Server database files in the App_Data folder — should I?

You can delete App_Data without any negative repercussions, but when it exists (by folder name) inside an ASP. NET website then it has the special website power of disallowing direct linking to download its contents - this is a security feature to protect your database from being downloaded directly over the web (e.g. By a web browser) even though it exists in the website. However your application can still access the files in the App_Data folder just as it accesses other website content Microsoft states it as: Note: The content of application folders, except for the App_Themes folder, is not served in response to Web requests, but it can be accessed from application code Microsoft describes their special ASP.

NET folder structures including App_Data here.

You can delete App_Data without any negative repercussions, but when it exists (by folder name) inside an ASP. NET website then it has the special website power of disallowing direct linking to download its contents - this is a security feature to protect your database from being downloaded directly over the web (e.g. By a web browser) even though it exists in the website. However your application can still access the files in the App_Data folder just as it accesses other website content.

Microsoft states it as: Note: The content of application folders, except for the App_Themes folder, is not served in response to Web requests, but it can be accessed from application code. Microsoft describes their special ASP.NET folder structures including App_Data here.

– DanM Jan 1 '10 at 22:49 Data outside of your web applications folder cannot be downloaded directly (unless you somehow explicitly made it available). – Eilon Jan 2 '10 at 0:00 I modified the answer to make it more clear based on follow-up questions. Just like any other folder on your hard disk, 'Program Files' cannot be downloaded unless it's part of your website served up by the web server, and if file permissions allow it.

– John K Jan 2 '10 at 0:09 1 The advantage to App_Data is that it's much more portable than something like "Program Files", and can be accessed using relative paths in your web app code. – womp Jan 2 '10 at 0:11 You use database queries to access the database directly whether it's a file-based database sitting on your hard disk (e.g. In App_Data) or a database running on a server. If your database is running on a server, it isn't a file-based database sitting inside your website.

With a file-based database you have the convenience of moving it around with your website; with the App_Data folder you have the additional convenience of not exposing it to the Internet -it would be exposed if sitting inside a regular folder like from where web pages are served from. – John K Jan 2 '10 at 0:12.

There are a number of advantages of placing database files in the App_Data folder: As some have mentioned, that folder is secure from people browsing it directly on the web. This is also true of placing the database in folders outside of your web site, though. You can "xcopy deploy" your application by copying the entire folder from your local development machine to your hosting web site.

Various components in Visual Studio can offer extra assistance in building your application by having your database files there. For example, you can double-click on a SQL Server Express MDF file and have it automatically open up in Server Explorer so that you can change the database's schema or view its data.

1 Nice answer, thanks. I'm a little confused about #2, though. Won't this fail due to the SQL Server requirement that you have to detach the database before you can move/delete/replace the database files?

Generally, I script my databases so I can just run the script on the host machine, and everything just works. #2 would seem like more of a help if I were using an Access database, I'm having trouble seeing the value added for SQL Server (Express) databases. – DanM Jan 2 '10 at 6:50.

There is absolutely no need to use the App_Data folder. It's just a convenient place to keep your database files together with your site. The decision to use it or not is more a matter of preference / policy than anything else.

Yes, when you are simply using an express database which will exist within your webroot it is best to use the app_data folder. The primary reason is that the asp . Net isapi implicitly knows not to fulfill any requests for files from this directory.

The same goes for the app_code folder. There is no stipulation that you have to but its good practice to be prudent. You can also store sensitive xml,access dbs and any other data files in here for added security.

I've only ever used it for local development before pointing the web. Config at a SQL server instance rather than the db files.

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