Book Image

Metaprogramming in C#

By : Einar Ingebrigtsen
Book Image

Metaprogramming in C#

By: Einar Ingebrigtsen

Overview of this book

Metaprogramming is an advanced technique that helps developers to automate repetitive tasks, generate scalable code, and enhance productivity in software development. Metaprogramming in C# is a comprehensive guide that will help you reap the full potential of metaprogramming in .NET runtime. You’ll start by learning about the .NET runtime environment and how you can use it to become a more productive developer. You'll learn how to infer types using reflection, use attributes, and create dynamic proxies. You’ll also explore the use of expressions to create and execute code and how to take advantage of Dynamic Language Runtime. But that's not all! You’ll also learn to go beyond inheritance and use method signature conventions to create easily maintainable code. Finally, you’ll dive into the world of compiler magic with Roslyn, where you'll discover how to use Roslyn to generate code, perform static code analysis, and write your own compiler extensions. By the end of this book, you’ll have a deep understanding of metaprogramming concepts and how to apply them to your C# code. You’ll be able to think about types, use attributes and expressions to generate code, and apply crosscutting concerns to improve code quality.
Table of Contents (25 chapters)
1
Part 1:Why Metaprogramming?
5
Part 2:Leveraging the Runtime
12
Part 3:Increasing Productivity, Consistency, and Quality
18
Part 4:Compiler Magic Using Roslyn

Roslyn Compiler Extensions

Roslyn compiler extensions offer a powerful way to modify and extend the behavior of the C# compiler. With the Roslyn compiler, developers can write code that analyzes and modifies C# code at compile-time, opening new possibilities for code generation, code transformation, and optimization.

In this chapter, we will explore the technical setup of a Roslyn compiler extension project. The chapter itself is not focused on metaprogramming, but rather, on the technical setup for the two following chapters. We’ll delve into the process of packaging a Roslyn compiler extension for reuse. We’ll explore the different packaging options available, such as NuGet packages, and discuss best practices for making your extension easy to consume by other developers.

We will cover the following topics in this chapter:

  • How to set up a project and its moving parts
  • How to package your extension for reuse

By the end of this chapter, you will...