The argument for AddDatabase represents a database and a connection string name at the same time

[sebastienros]

Let's take this example for PostgreSQL:

var catalogDb = builder.AddPostgresContainer("postgres").AddDatabase("catalogdb");

"catalogdb" is both the name of the database (a technical name), and the name of the resource (a logical name).

As a developer when I read AddDatabase(string name) I understand that is can be a database name, as in CREATE DATABASE "catalogdb".

But in the app when I do builder.AddNpgsqlDbContext<CatalogDbContext>("catalogdb") it's asking for a connectionName.

Though the documentation for AddDatabase(string name) is clear:

The name of the resource. This name will be used as the connection string name when referenced in a dependency.

It seems like we should be able to provide a database name and a resource name (or connection string name), because we might want them to be different, or change independently.

The name argument should also be changed to remove the ambiguity.

[davidfowl]

Are you going to make this change @sebastienros ?

[sebastienros]

I am willing to, was waiting for some kind of triage before, and maybe comments.

[sebastienros]

@davidfowl I don't think it an ship in next preview, right?

[ohroy]

any news ?
resouce name and db should not always same, at least we can choose it by optional param?

[DamianEdwards]

We should do this for next preview. Thoughts @mitchdenny?

[mitchdenny]

I think we need to do this (created an issue recently for the same thing). Next preview seems fine. I think the usage of IResource.Name is quite pervasive so each usage will have to be scrutinized, especially where connection strings are concerned.

There is a related aspect to this in the context of the proposed metadata field (#1619). For cloud deployment tools we may wish to have a different resource name than that specified in the app model - especially when approaching brownfields work.

[mitchdenny]

@sebastienros are you still working on this? Loop in @ellismg for the AZD side of things.

[sebastienros]

Yes I will work on that very soon.