abp/docs/en/low-code/reference-entities.md

//[doc-seo]
{
    "Description": "Link dynamic entities to existing C# entities like IdentityUser using Reference Entities in the ABP Low-Code System."
}

Reference Entities

Reference Entities allow you to create foreign key relationships from dynamic entities to existing (static) C# entities that are already defined in your application or in ABP modules.

Overview

Dynamic entities defined via Attributes or model.json normally reference other dynamic entities. However, you may need to link to entities like ABP's IdentityUser, Tenant, or your own C# entity classes. Reference entities make this possible.

Unlike dynamic entities, reference entities are read-only from the Low-Code System's perspective — they don't get CRUD pages or APIs. They are used solely for:

• Foreign key lookups — dropdown selection in UI forms
• Display values — showing the referenced entity's display property in grids
• Query support — querying via the Scripting API

Registering Reference Entities

Register reference entities in your Domain module's ConfigureServices using AbpDynamicEntityConfig.ReferencedEntityList:

public override void ConfigureServices(ServiceConfigurationContext context)
{
    AbpDynamicEntityConfig.ReferencedEntityList.Add<IdentityUser>(
        "UserName"        // Default display property
    );

    AbpDynamicEntityConfig.ReferencedEntityList.Add<IdentityUser>(
        "UserName",       // Default display property
        "UserName",       // Exposed properties
        "Email",
        "PhoneNumber"
    );
}

Add<TEntity> Method

public void Add<TEntity>(
    string defaultDisplayProperty,
    params string[] properties
) where TEntity : class, IEntity<Guid>

Parameter	Description
defaultDisplayProperty	Property name used as display value in lookups
properties	Additional properties to expose (optional)

The entity type must implement IEntity<Guid>.

Using Reference Entities in model.json

Reference a registered entity in a foreign key definition:

{
  "name": "UserId",
  "foreignKey": {
    "entityName": "Volo.Abp.Identity.IdentityUser"
  }
}

The entity name must match the CLR type's full name. The module automatically detects that this is a reference entity and uses the registered ReferenceEntityDescriptor.

Using Reference Entities with Attributes

Use the [DynamicForeignKey] attribute on a Guid property:

[DynamicEntity]
public class Customer
{
    [DynamicForeignKey("Volo.Abp.Identity.IdentityUser", "UserName")]
    public Guid? UserId { get; set; }
}

How It Works

The ReferenceEntityDescriptor class stores metadata about the reference entity:

• Name — Full CLR type name
• Type — The actual CLR type
• DefaultDisplayPropertyName — Display property for lookups
• Properties — List of ReferenceEntityPropertyDescriptor entries

When a foreign key points to a reference entity, the ForeignKeyDescriptor populates its ReferencedEntityDescriptor and ReferencedDisplayPropertyDescriptor instead of the standard EntityDescriptor fields.

Querying Reference Entities in Scripts

Reference entities can be queried via the Scripting API:

// Query reference entity in interceptor or custom endpoint
var user = await db.get('Volo.Abp.Identity.IdentityUser', userId);
if (user) {
    context.log('User: ' + user.UserName);
}

Limitations

• Read-only: Reference entities do not get CRUD operations, permissions, or UI pages.
• No child entities: You cannot define a reference entity as a parent in parent-child relationships.
• Guid keys only: Reference entities must have Guid primary keys (IEntity<Guid>).
• Explicit registration required: Each reference entity must be registered in code before use.

Common Reference Entities

Entity	Name for entityName	Typical Display Property
ABP Identity User	Volo.Abp.Identity.IdentityUser	UserName
ABP Identity Role	Volo.Abp.Identity.IdentityRole	Name
ABP Tenant	Volo.Saas.Tenant	Name

See Also

• model.json Structure
• Foreign Access
• Fluent API & Attributes