More Effective C

Introduction xiii

Chapter 1: Working with Generics 1

Item 1: Use Generic Replacements of 1.x Framework API Classes 4

Item 2: Define Constraints That Are Minimal and Sufficient 14

Item 3: Specialize Generic Algorithms Using Runtime Type Checking 19

Item 4: Use Generics to Force Compile-Time Type Inference 26

Item 5: Ensure That Your Generic Classes Support Disposable Type Parameters 32

Item 6: Use Delegates to Define Method Constraints on Type Parameters 36

Item 7: Do Not Create Generic Specialization on Base Classes or Interfaces 42

Item 8: Prefer Generic Methods Unless Type Parameters Are Instance Fields 46

Item 9: Prefer Generic Tuples to Output and Ref Parameters 50

Item 10: Implement Classic Interfaces in Addition to Generic Interfaces 56

Chapter 2: Multithreading in C# 63

Item 11: Use the Thread Pool Instead of Creating Threads 67

Item 12: Use BackgroundWorker for Cross-Thread Communication 74

Item 13: Use lock() as Your First Choice for Synchronization 78

Item 14: Use the Smallest Possible Scope for Lock Handles 86

Item 15: Avoid Calling Unknown Code in Locked Sections 90

Item 16: Understand Cross-Thread Calls in Windows Forms and WPF 93

Chapter 3: C# Design Practices 105

Item 17: Create Composable APIs for Sequences 105

Item 18: Decouple Iterations from Actions, Predicates, and Functions 112

Item 19: Generate Sequence Items as Requested 117

Item 20: Loosen Coupling by Using Function Parameters 120

Item 21: Create Method Groups That Are Clear, Minimal, and Complete 127

Item 22: Prefer Defining Methods to Overloading Operators 134

Item 23: Understand How Events Increase Runtime Coupling Among Objects 137

Item 24: Declare Only Nonvirtual Events 139

Item 25: Use Exceptions to Report Method Contract Failures 146

Item 26: Ensure That Properties Behave Like Data 150

Item 27: Distinguish Between Inheritance and Composition 156

Chapter 4: C# 3.0 Language Enhancements 163

Item 28: Augment Minimal Interface Contracts with Extension Methods 163

Item 29: Enhance Constructed Types with Extension Methods 167

Item 30: Prefer Implicitly Typed Local Variables 169

Item 31: Limit Type Scope by Using Anonymous Types 176

Item 32: Create Composable APIs for External Components 180

Item 33: Avoid Modifying Bound Variables 185

Item 34: Define Local Functions on Anonymous Types 191

Item 35: Never Overload Extension Methods 196

Chapter 5: Working with LINQ 201

Item 36: Understand How Query Expressions Map to Method Calls 201

Item 37: Prefer Lazy Evaluation Queries 213

Item 38: Prefer Lambda Expressions to Methods 218

Item 39: Avoid Throwing Exceptions in Functions and Actions 222

Item 40: Distinguish Early from Deferred Execution 225

Item 41: Avoid Capturing Expensive Resources 229

Item 42: Distinguish Between IEnumerable and IQueryable Data Sources 242

Item 43: Use Single() and First() to Enforce Semantic Expectations on Queries 247

Item 44: Prefer Storing Expression<> to Func<> 249

Chapter 6: Miscellaneous 255

Item 45: Minimize the Visibility of Nullable Values 255

Item 46: Give Partial Classes Partial Methods for Constructors, Mutators, and Event Handlers 261

Item 47: Limit Array Parameters to Params Arrays 266

Item 48: Avoid Calling Virtual Functions in Constructors 271

Item 49: Consider Weak References for Large Objects 274

Item 50: Prefer Implicit Properties for Mutable, Nonserializable Data 277

Index 283