How to See the SQL Generated by a LINQ to SQL Command

Quick tip: If you want to see the SQL generated by LINQ to SQL for a query or command, simply set the Log property of your generated DataContext class to an instance of a TextReader.

If this is your code:

using System;
using System.Linq;
using System.Data.Linq;

namespace LINQtoSQLConsole {
  class Program {
    static void Main(string[] args) {

      var db = new NorthwindDataContext();

      // Use the console to see the SQL
      db.Log = Console.Out;

      // A query
      var cust = db.Customers.Single(
                    c => c.CustomerID == "ALFKI");

      // An update
      cust.Region = "Northwest";
      db.SubmitChanges();
    }
  }
}

… then this is what you’ll see:

Pretty good, eh?