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ModelBuilder is a component in software frameworks used to construct and configure a data model that maps domain objects to a data store. It provides a fluent API to define entity types, their properties, relationships, keys, constraints, and how they are mapped to database tables, views, or other storage structures. The model built by the ModelBuilder serves as metadata that the framework uses at runtime to perform data access, enforce constraints, and generate or apply migrations.

In the context of Microsoft Entity Framework Core, ModelBuilder is supplied to the OnModelCreating method of a DbContext. Developers use it to customize conventions, override defaults, and configure mappings that are not discoverable through attributes alone. Common configurations include specifying primary keys, configuring one-to-many and many-to-many relationships, setting table and column names, defining indexes, and controlling property data types and nullability. The resulting model is inspected by the framework to create the database schema and to execute queries efficiently.

The concept of a model builder exists in several ORMs and modeling tools, though the exact API and capabilities differ by framework. Understanding its role helps in designing maintainable schemas and in applying migrations consistently.