How do you implement soft delete safely?
PICTURE THIS: DATABASE INDEX
Simple meaning
I add IsDeleted and a global query filter, plus careful unique indexes that include the flag.
WHY — EF Core instead of guessing?
Why interviewers care about EF Core:
question about EF Core.
trade-offs, and what you would actually do on a .NET project - not buzzwords.
Name the idea, why it exists, then one short example.
End with when you use it and one common pitfall.
STEPS — What happens step by step?
Before you speak the answer, walk the interviewer through these steps:
- 1I add IsDeleted and
a global query filter, plus careful unique indexes that include the flag.
- 2Restore paths must clear
the filter.
- 3How it works
Cascades need explicit design.
- 4Give an example
One tiny concrete case you can say aloud.
- 5Common mistake
What juniors usually get wrong.
- 6Close
When you pick this over the alternative.
EXAMPLE — See it in action
Here's a short line you can speak, broken into clear beats:
Note: Adapt this scaffold to your own project — keep it under 60–90 seconds.
Key takeaway
I add IsDeleted and a global query filter, plus careful unique indexes that include the flag. Restore paths must clear the filter.