10 Advanced C Tricks for Developers Medium
10 Advanced C# Tricks for Developers đ„ | Medium #
Excerpt #
Exploring advanced C# techniques can elevate your programming. Discover ten methods to boost code efficiency and readability for experienced developers.
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As a C# developer, learning more advanced techniques can help you write cleaner, more efficient, and innovative code. In this article, weâll explore some ten advanced C# tips tailored for more experienced developers who want to push the limits of whatâs possible in C#. These tricks can improve your codeâs performance, readability, and maintainability.
1. Leveraging Tuples for Multiple Return Values #
Traditionally, to return multiple values from a method, developers had to use out parameters and create custom classes or structures. C# 7, however, introduced tuples, which makes it easier and more readable to do so.
<span id="7a86" data-selectable-paragraph=""><span>public</span> (<span>int</span> sum, <span>int</span> product) Calculate(<span>int</span> a, <span>int</span> b)<br>{<br> <span>return</span> (a + b, a * b);<br>}</span>
This approach simplifies the handling of multiple return values and improves code clarity.
2. Pattern Matching Enhancements #
C# 7 and later versions introduced powerful pattern-matching features that allow for more expressive and concise type-checking and conversions.
<span id="cebb" data-selectable-paragraph=""><span><span>public</span> <span>void</span> <span>ProcessShape</span>(<span><span>object</span> shape</span>)</span><br>{<br> <span>if</span> (shape <span>is</span> Circle c)<br> {<br> Console.WriteLine(<span>$"Circle with radius: <span>{c.Radius}</span>"</span>);<br> }<br> <span>else</span> <span>if</span> (shape <span>is</span> Square s)<br> {<br> Console.WriteLine(<span>$"Square with side: <span>{s.Side}</span>"</span>);<br> }<br>}</span>
This technique reduces the amount of boilerplate code and makes the code easier to read.
3. Using Local Functions for Encapsulation #
In C# 7, local functions were introduced, which allow you to define methods inside another method. These functions are particularly useful for encapsulating helper methods that only make sense within a specific method.
<span id="2947" data-selectable-paragraph=""><span><span>public</span> IEnumerable<<span>int</span>> <span>Fibonacci</span><span>(<span>int</span> n)</span><br></span>{<br> <span><span>int</span> <span>Fib</span><span>(<span>int</span> term)</span> </span>=> term <= <span>2</span> ? <span>1</span> : <span>Fib</span>(term - <span>1</span>) + <span>Fib</span>(term - <span>2</span>);<br> <span>return</span> Enumerable.<span>Range</span>(<span>1</span>, n).<span>Select</span>(Fib);<br>}</span>
Local functions can access variables from the enclosing method, which offers a concise way to implement complex logic.
4. Expression-bodied Members for Succinct Code #
Expression-bodied members help to make the code more concise, as they allow the implementation of methods, properties, and other members on a single line of code.
<span id="4dcb" data-selectable-paragraph=""><span>public</span> <span>class</span> <span>Person</span><br>{<br> <span>public</span> <span>string</span> Name { <span>get</span>; <span>set</span>; }<br> <span><span>public</span> <span>override</span> <span>string</span> <span>ToString</span>()</span> => <span>$"Name: <span>{Name}</span>"</span>;<br>}</span>
This feature, which was expanded in recent versions of C#, makes it easier to define lightweight class members.
5. Readonly Structs for Immutable Data Types #
Readonly structures are ideal for creating immutable data types. This means that once an object is created, it cannot be changed.
<span id="d4de" data-selectable-paragraph=""><span>public</span> <span>readonly</span> <span>struct</span> Point<br>{<br> <span>public</span> <span>double</span> X { <span>get</span>; }<br> <span>public</span> <span>double</span> Y { <span>get</span>; }<br> <br> <span><span>public</span> <span>Point</span>(<span><span>double</span> x, <span>double</span> y</span>)</span> => (X, Y) = (x, y);<br>}</span>
This construct is useful for representing small, immutable data types such as coordinates or complex numbers.
6. Ref Returns and Locals for Performance Optimization #
Ref returns and locals allow methods to return references to variables, instead of the values themselves. This can significantly improve performance for large objects.
<span id="777b" data-selectable-paragraph=""><span><span>public</span> <span>ref</span> <span>int</span> <span>Find</span>(<span><span>int</span>[] numbers, <span>int</span> target</span>)</span><br>{<br> <span>for</span> (<span>int</span> i = <span>0</span>; i < numbers.Length; i++)<br> {<br> <span>if</span> (numbers[i] == target)<br> <span>return</span> <span>ref</span> numbers[i];<br> }<br> <span>throw</span> <span>new</span> IndexOutOfRangeException(<span>"Not found"</span>);<br>}</span>
This feature is especially useful in performance-sensitive code that handles large data structures.
7. Using Discards to Ignore Unwanted Returns #
Discards are an advanced feature that allows developers to skip over parameters or tuples that theyâre not interested in. This makes the code more readable and easier to maintain.
<span id="34ec" data-selectable-paragraph=""><span>var</span> (_, product) = Calculate(<span>3</span>, <span>4</span>); </span>
This makes it easier to handle methods that return multiple values, as you only need a few of them.
8. Null Coalescing Assignment for Streamlined Null Checks #
The null coalescing assignment operator ??= simplifies the process of assigning values to variables when they might be null.
<span id="2f42" data-selectable-paragraph="">List<<span>int</span>> numbers = <span>null</span>;<br>numbers ??= <span>new</span> List<<span>int</span>>();<br>numbers.Add(<span>1</span>);</span>
This operator reduces the amount of code needed to ensure that an object is created before it is used.
9. ValueTuple for Lightweight Data Structures #
ValueTuple is a lightweight alternative to the Tuple data structure, which offers a more memory-efficient approach for managing collections of values.
<span id="3cc1" data-selectable-paragraph=""><span>var</span> person = (Name: <span>"John"</span>, Age: <span>30</span>);<br>Console.WriteLine(<span>$"<span>{person.Name}</span> is <span>{person.Age}</span> years old."</span>);</span>
ValueTuple is particularly useful for temporary data structures where the overhead of a class is unnecessary.
10. Asynchronous Streams with IAsyncEnumerable #
Asynchronous streams, introduced in C# 8, enable the implementation of asynchronous iteration over collections that are loaded asynchronously. This significantly improves performance in applications that process streaming data or are I/O bound.
<span id="465d" data-selectable-paragraph=""><span><span>public</span> <span>async</span> IAsyncEnumerable<<span>int</span>> <span>GetNumbersAsync</span>()</span><br>{<br> <span>for</span> (<span>int</span> i = <span>0</span>; i < <span>10</span>; i++)<br> {<br> <span>await</span> Task.Delay(<span>100</span>); <br> <span>yield</span> <span>return</span> i;<br> }<br>}</span>
This allows for consuming asynchronous streams using await foreach, making it easier to write efficient and readable asynchronous code.
Conclusion #
The evolution of C# has introduced features that improve its code readability, maintainability, and performance. These include tuples, pattern matching, and asynchronous streams, which are crucial for creating more efficient and modern C# applications within the .NET ecosystem.
By effectively utilizing these tools, developers can enhance application performance, refine their coding styles, and improve software quality. By mastering these features, developers ensure that they are used in a way that aligns with the projectâs needs, unlocking their full potential for successful development.
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