C# 12 features: ExperimentalAttribute

Part 7 in a series on new language features in C# 12.

Experimental attribute

Mark a type, method, or assembly with the ExperimentalAttribute and the compiler will generate a warning. You will need to explicitly suppress this warning to consume the experimental code.

[Experimental("DAVID01")]
public class ExperimentalClass
{
    public void Thing()
    {
        //
    }
}

In some ways, this feels to me like the opposite of the ObsoleteAttribute.

Further reading

https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/csharp/language-reference/attributes/general?WT.mc_id=DOP-MVP-5001655#experimental-attribute

Example source

https://github.com/flcdrg/csharp-12/blob/main/07-experimental/ExperimentalClass.cs

C# 12 features: Inline arrays

Part 6 in a series on new language features in C# 12.

Inline arrays

Super-niche, but I guess if you need it, you'll appreciate it. Previously you'd probably need to resort to using unsafe code to deal with this.

[System.Runtime.CompilerServices.InlineArray(10)]
public struct InlineArray
{
    public int Thing;
}

The compiler now knows this is an array of 10 contiguous elements.

Further reading

https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/csharp/language-reference/builtin-types/struct?WT.mc_id=DOP-MVP-5001655#inline-arrays

Example source

https://github.com/flcdrg/csharp-12/blob/main/06-inline-arrays/InlineArrays.cs

C# 12 features: Using aliases

Part 5 in a series on new language features in C# 12.

Alias any type

Now you can create aliases for any type - it doesn't need to have a name. Tuples are a great example, but also arrays.

using P = Tuple<string, string, int>;
using C = char[];

Further reading

https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/csharp/language-reference/proposals/csharp-12.0/using-alias-types?WT.mc_id=DOP-MVP-5001655

Example source

https://github.com/flcdrg/csharp-12/blob/main/05-alias/Aliases.cs