How do you map inheritance TPH versus TPT?
PICTURE THIS: RAG CHATBOT
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Simple meaning
TPH uses a discriminator column in one table
WHY — EF Core instead of guessing?
Why interviewers care about EF Core:
They want a clean
contrast on EF Core, not two memorised paragraphs.
Say what changes for
the developer, then one case where picking wrong hurts.
Stay structured
Name the idea, why it exists, then one short example.
Close cleanly
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:
- 1TPH uses a discriminator
column in one table
- 2Why it exists
TPT uses tables per type.
- 3How it works
TPH is usually faster
- 4Give an example
TPT normalizes.
- 5Common mistake
I avoid TPC unless needed.
- 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:
Say this line
“TPH is usually faster”
Break into beats
TPHisusuallyfaster
Speaking order
29874083374716
Note: Adapt this scaffold to your own project — keep it under 60–90 seconds.
Key takeaway
TPH uses a discriminator column in one table TPT uses tables per type.