How to avoid cyclic references / circular navigation properties?

Short answer: Use [JsonIgnore] or ReferenceLoopHandling.Ignore in JSON serialization. Use DTOs without circular refs for API responses. Carefully design navigation properties to avoid cycles or use explicit loading.

Real-world example (ShopNest)

ShopNest’s order service uses EF Core to save an Order and its line items in one SaveChangesAsync() call inside a transaction.

Say this in the interview

1. Define — one clear sentence (the short answer above).
2. Example — relate it to a project like ShopNest or your real work.
3. Trade-off — when you would not use it.