What are the advantages of using an ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) framework in .NET?

ORM frameworks like Entity Framework provide several advantages. They abstract away low-level database operations, reducing the need for writing repetitive SQL code. ORMs offer a higher level of abstraction by representing database entities as objects, making it easier to work with data. They also facilitate database portability and versioning, and often include features like change tracking and caching.