Boost Your C# Skills: Top 25 Mind-Blowing Tips and Tricks 🚀
C# continues to evolve with each version, introducing features that make your code more efficient and expressive. By mastering these tips and tricks, you’ll not only write better code but also enjoy the development process even more.
1. Simplify Null Handling with Null Coalescing Operators
Combine ?? and ??= to simplify null checks and assignments.
string message = null;
message ??= "Default message";
Console.WriteLine(message); // Outputs: Default message2. Use nameof for safer refactoring
Avoid magic strings by using nameof to reference properties or methods.
Console.WriteLine(nameof(MyProperty)); // Outputs: MyProperty3. Use switch expression
Simplify complex conditional logic with switch statements.
string GetDayType(DayOfWeek day) => day switch
{
DayOfWeek.Saturday or DayOfWeek.Sunday => "Weekend",
_ => "Weekday"
};4. Use Record Types
Records, introduced in C# 9, are ideal for immutable data models.
public record Person(string Name, int Age);5. Optimize Performance with Asynchronous Streams
Process data asynchronously withIAsyncEnumerableame.
async IAsyncEnumerable<int> GetNumbersAsync()
{
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++)
{
yield return i;
await Task.Delay(100);
}
}6. Use Span<T> for high-performance memory access
For performance-critical scenarios, such as analyzing or processing large amounts of data, Span<T>can significantly reduce memory allocations.
Span<int> numbers = stackalloc int[5] { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };
Console.WriteLine(numbers[2]); // Output: 3You can read my article about Span<T> in C#
7. Explore Global Uses
Reduce boilerplate code in C# 10+ by defining common using directives globally.
// GlobalUsings.cs
global using System;
global using System.Collections.Generic;8. Use read-only structs for performance
When designing structs, mark them as read-only to avoid accidental mutations and improve performance.
public readonly struct Point
{
public int X { get; }
public int Y { get; }
public Point(int x, int y) => (X, Y) = (x, y);
}9. Use FileScoped Namespaces
Optimize your code by using file-scoped namespaces introduced in C# 10.
namespace MyApp;
class Program
{
static void Main() => Console.WriteLine("Hello, world!");
}10. Use tuples to quickly group data
Tuplesallow you to return multiple values ​​from a method without defining a separate class or struct.
(string name, int age) GetPerson()
{
return ("Alice", 25);
}
// Usage
var person = GetPerson();
Console.WriteLine($"{person.name} is {person.age} years old.");11. Use expression-bodied members
For short methods and properties, use expression-bodied members.
public int Square(int number) => number * number;12. Use string interpolation for readability
String interpolation (introduced in C# 6) is a cleaner way to process strings than concatenation.
string name = "Alice";
int age = 25;
Console.WriteLine($"My name is {name} and I'm {age} years old.");13. Use pattern matching
Pattern matching, introduced in C# 7, provides more readable and concise type checking and conditional logic.
object data = 42;
if (data is int number)
{
Console.WriteLine($"It's an integer: {number}");
}14. Use declarations to manage resources
Simplify resource management with declarations introduced in C# 8.
using var file = new StreamWriter("log.txt");
file.WriteLine("Hello, world!");No need for explicit scope parentheses — resources are automatically disposed when the method exits.
15. Refactor repetitive code into extension methods
Extension methods allow you to add functionality to existing types without changing them.
public static class Strings
{
public static Tuple<string, string> SplitString(this string str, char separator)
{
var index = str.IndexOf(separator);
var str2 = str.Length > index?str.Substring(index + 1):string.Empty;
var str1 = str.Substring(0, index);
return new Tuple<string, string>(str1, str2);
}
}
// Usage
var text = "test1|test1";
var data = text.SplitString('|');
Assert.AreEqual(data.Item1,data.Item2);16. Use yield for custom iterators
When you need to lazily iterate over a collection, yield makes it easy to create custom enumerators.
IEnumerable<int> GetNumbers(int start, int count)
{
for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
yield return start + i;
}
// Usage
foreach (var number in GetNumbers(10, 5))
Console.WriteLine(number); // Outputs 10, 11, 12, 13, 1417. Inline out variables
Declare and assign out variables directly in method calls for cleaner code.
if (int.TryParse("123", out int number))
Console.WriteLine($"Parsed: {number}");18. Master LINQ for cleaner, faster code
Language-Integrated Query (LINQ) simplifies data processing and makes your code more readable. You can use LINQ to query collections, arrays, and even databases.
var evenNumbers = numbers.Where(n => n % 2 == 0).ToList();
Console.WriteLine(string.Join(", ", evenNumbers));Pro tip: Use LINQ methods like GroupBy,OrderBy, and Aggreagte to solve complex data problems elegantly.
19. Asynchronous programming made easy with async and await
Asynchronous programming improves responsiveness and performance. Use async and awaitto manage tasks without blocking the main thread.
async Task FetchDataAsync()
{
var result = await httpClient.GetStringAsync("https://example.com");
Console.WriteLine(result);
}20. Understanding Nullable Reference Types
C# 8 introduced nullable reference types to help avoid NullReferenceException . Enable this feature to catch potential NULL issues at compile time.
string? name = GetName();
Console.WriteLine(name?.ToUpper()); // Secure Access21. Write Smarter Code with Roslyn Analyzers
Integrate Roslyn analyzers to identify potential issues, enforce code standards, and improve code quality.
Use tools like StyleCop or SonarLint for static code analysis.
22. Explore Source Generators to Reduce Boilerplate
A source generator can dynamically create code at compile time, saving you from writing repetitive boilerplate.
For example Generate INotifyPropertyChanged implementations automatically with a source generator https://github.com/neuecc/NotifyPropertyChangedGenerator instead of writing it each time.
23. Default Interface Methods
C# 8 introduced default implementations for interface methods, reducing the need for helper classes.
public interface ILogger
{
void Log(string message) => Console.WriteLine($"Log: {message}");
}24. Take Advantage of Immutable Collections
Immutable collections, such as ImmutableList<T>, provide thread-safe operations without changing data.
var immutableList = ImmutableList.Create(1, 2, 3);
var newList = immutableList.Add(4); // Returns a new list25. Debug Smarter with Conditional Breakpoints
Use conditional breakpoints in your IDE to stop execution only when certain conditions are met.
x > 10 && y == 5Final Words
C# offers a wealth of opportunities to write clean, efficient, and maintainable code. Mastering these 25 tips and tricks will help you become a better programmer and create better software.
What new C# feature or trick has changed the way you code? Share your thoughts in the comments! 🚀
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