title: How to mix Entity Framework with Web API
body: <p>I'm researching the new ASP.NET MVC4 Web API framework. I'm running Visual Studio 2011 beta on the Windows 8 consumer preview. </p>
  
  <p>My problem is that none of the official samples for the new Web API framework use any kind of database backend. In the past, I've been able to create a local SQL CE database and serve it up via a WCF Data Service using Entity Framework as the ORM.  How do I do the same with Web API?</p>
  
  <p>Also, is this even a valid question? Should I just keep using a WCF Data Service if I want to expose an Entity Framework mapped SQL CE database? It seems to work fine, other than not offering the flexibility to choose response formatters that I might get with web api.</p>