Setting unique Constraint with fluent API?

Question

On EF6.2, you can use HasIndex() to add indexes for migration through fluent API.

https://github.com/aspnet/EntityFramework6/issues/274

Example

modelBuilder
    .Entity<User>()
    .HasIndex(u => u.Email)
        .IsUnique();

On EF6.1 onwards, you can use IndexAnnotation() to add indexes for migration in your fluent API.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/data/jj591617.aspx#PropertyIndex

You must add reference to:

using System.Data.Entity.Infrastructure.Annotations;

Basic Example

Here is a simple usage, adding an index on the User.FirstName property

modelBuilder 
    .Entity<User>() 
    .Property(t => t.FirstName) 
    .HasColumnAnnotation(IndexAnnotation.AnnotationName, new IndexAnnotation(new IndexAttribute()));

Practical Example:

Here is a more realistic example. It adds a unique index on multiple properties: User.FirstName and User.LastName, with an index name "IX_FirstNameLastName"

modelBuilder 
    .Entity<User>() 
    .Property(t => t.FirstName) 
    .IsRequired()
    .HasMaxLength(60)
    .HasColumnAnnotation(
        IndexAnnotation.AnnotationName, 
        new IndexAnnotation(
            new IndexAttribute("IX_FirstNameLastName", 1) { IsUnique = true }));

modelBuilder 
    .Entity<User>() 
    .Property(t => t.LastName) 
    .IsRequired()
    .HasMaxLength(60)
    .HasColumnAnnotation(
        IndexAnnotation.AnnotationName, 
        new IndexAnnotation(
            new IndexAttribute("IX_FirstNameLastName", 2) { IsUnique = true }));

As an addition to Yorro's answer, it can also be done by using attributes.

Sample for int type unique key combination:

[Index("IX_UniqueKeyInt", IsUnique = true, Order = 1)]
public int UniqueKeyIntPart1 { get; set; }

[Index("IX_UniqueKeyInt", IsUnique = true, Order = 2)]
public int UniqueKeyIntPart2 { get; set; }

If the data type is string, then MaxLength attribute must be added:

[Index("IX_UniqueKeyString", IsUnique = true, Order = 1)]
[MaxLength(50)]
public string UniqueKeyStringPart1 { get; set; }

[Index("IX_UniqueKeyString", IsUnique = true, Order = 2)]
[MaxLength(50)]
public string UniqueKeyStringPart2 { get; set; }

If there is a domain/storage model separation concern, using Metadatatype attribute/class can be an option: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff664465%28v=pandp.50%29.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

---

A quick console app example:

using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations.Schema;
using System.Data.Entity;

namespace EFIndexTest
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            using (var context = new AppDbContext())
            {
                var newUser = new User { UniqueKeyIntPart1 = 1, UniqueKeyIntPart2 = 1, UniqueKeyStringPart1 = "A", UniqueKeyStringPart2 = "A" };
                context.UserSet.Add(newUser);
                context.SaveChanges();
            }
        }
    }

    [MetadataType(typeof(UserMetadata))]
    public class User
    {
        public int Id { get; set; }
        public int UniqueKeyIntPart1 { get; set; }
        public int UniqueKeyIntPart2 { get; set; }
        public string UniqueKeyStringPart1 { get; set; }
        public string UniqueKeyStringPart2 { get; set; }
    }

    public class UserMetadata
    {
        [Index("IX_UniqueKeyInt", IsUnique = true, Order = 1)]
        public int UniqueKeyIntPart1 { get; set; }

        [Index("IX_UniqueKeyInt", IsUnique = true, Order = 2)]
        public int UniqueKeyIntPart2 { get; set; }

        [Index("IX_UniqueKeyString", IsUnique = true, Order = 1)]
        [MaxLength(50)]
        public string UniqueKeyStringPart1 { get; set; }

        [Index("IX_UniqueKeyString", IsUnique = true, Order = 2)]
        [MaxLength(50)]
        public string UniqueKeyStringPart2 { get; set; }
    }

    public class AppDbContext : DbContext
    {
        public virtual DbSet<User> UserSet { get; set; }
    }
}

Here is an extension method for setting unique indexes more fluently:

public static class MappingExtensions
{
    public static PrimitivePropertyConfiguration IsUnique(this PrimitivePropertyConfiguration configuration)
    {
        return configuration.HasColumnAnnotation("Index", new IndexAnnotation(new IndexAttribute { IsUnique = true }));
    }
}

Usage:

modelBuilder 
    .Entity<Person>() 
    .Property(t => t.Name)
    .IsUnique();

Will generate migration such as:

public partial class Add_unique_index : DbMigration
{
    public override void Up()
    {
        CreateIndex("dbo.Person", "Name", unique: true);
    }

    public override void Down()
    {
        DropIndex("dbo.Person", new[] { "Name" });
    }
}

Src: Creating Unique Index with Entity Framework 6.1 fluent API

@coni2k 's answer is correct however you must add [StringLength] attribute for it to work otherwise you will get an invalid key exception (Example bellow).

[StringLength(65)]
[Index("IX_FirstNameLastName", 1, IsUnique = true)]
public string FirstName { get; set; }

[StringLength(65)]
[Index("IX_FirstNameLastName", 2, IsUnique = true)]
public string LastName { get; set; }

Unfortunately this is not supported in Entity Framework. It was on the roadmap for EF 6, but it got pushed back: Workitem 299: Unique Constraints (Unique Indexes)