[C# Tutorial] C# Generics

C# Generics

Generics allow you to defer writing the specification of the data type of a programming element in a class or method until it is actually used in the program. In other words, generics allow you to write a class or method that can work with any data type.

You can write the specification of a class or method through substitution parameters of data types. When the compiler encounters a function call to a class's constructor or method, it generates code to handle the specified data type. The following simple example will help you understand this concept:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

namespace GenericApplication
{
    public class MyGenericArray<T>
    {
        private T[] array;
        public MyGenericArray(int size)
        {
            array = new T[size + 1];
        }
        public T getItem(int index)
        {
            return array[index];
        }
        public void setItem(int index, T value)
        {
            array[index] = value;
        }
    }
           
    class Tester
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // 声明一个整型数组
            MyGenericArray<int> intArray = new MyGenericArray<int>(5);
            // 设置值
            for (int c = 0; c < 5; c++)
            {
                intArray.setItem(c, c*5);
            }
            // 获取值
            for (int c = 0; c < 5; c++)
            {
                Console.Write(intArray.getItem(c) + " ");
            }
            Console.WriteLine();
            // 声明一个字符数组
            MyGenericArray<char> charArray = new MyGenericArray<char>(5);
            // 设置值
            for (int c = 0; c < 5; c++)
            {
                charArray.setItem(c, (char)(c+97));
            }
            // 获取值
            for (int c = 0; c < 5; c++)
            {
                Console.Write(charArray.getItem(c) + " ");
            }
            Console.WriteLine();
            Console.ReadKey();
        }
    }
}

When the above code is compiled and executed, it will produce the following results:

0 5 10 15 20
a b c d e

Characteristics of Generics

Using generics is a A technology that enhances program functionality, specifically in the following aspects:

It helps you maximize code reuse, protect type safety, and improve performance.

You can create generic collection classes. The .NET Framework class library includes new generic collection classes in the System.Collections.Generic namespace. You can use these generic collection classes in place of the collection classes in System.Collections .

You can create your own generic interfaces, generic classes, generic methods, generic events and generic delegates.

You can constrain a generic class to access methods of a specific data type.

Information about the types used in generic data types can be obtained at runtime by using reflection.

Generic method

In the above example, we have used a generic class, and we can declare a generic method through type parameters. The following program illustrates this concept:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

namespace GenericMethodAppl
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Swap<T>(ref T lhs, ref T rhs)
        {
            T temp;
            temp = lhs;
            lhs = rhs;
            rhs = temp;
        }
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            int a, b;
            char c, d;
            a = 10;
            b = 20;
            c = &#39;I&#39;;
            d = &#39;V&#39;;

            // 在交换之前显示值
            Console.WriteLine("Int values before calling swap:");
            Console.WriteLine("a = {0}, b = {1}", a, b);
            Console.WriteLine("Char values before calling swap:");
            Console.WriteLine("c = {0}, d = {1}", c, d);

            // 调用 swap
            Swap<int>(ref a, ref b);
            Swap<char>(ref c, ref d);

            // 在交换之后显示值
            Console.WriteLine("Int values after calling swap:");
            Console.WriteLine("a = {0}, b = {1}", a, b);
            Console.WriteLine("Char values after calling swap:");
            Console.WriteLine("c = {0}, d = {1}", c, d);
            Console.ReadKey();
        }
    }
}

When the above code is compiled and executed, it produces the following results:

Int values before calling swap:
a = 10, b = 20
Char values before calling swap:
c = I, d = V
Int values after calling swap:
a = 20, b = 10
Char values after calling swap:
c = V, d = I

Generic delegates

You can define generic delegates through type parameters. For example:

delegate T NumberChanger<T>(T n);

The following example demonstrates the use of delegates:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

delegate T NumberChanger<T>(T n);
namespace GenericDelegateAppl
{
    class TestDelegate
    {
        static int num = 10;
        public static int AddNum(int p)
        {
            num += p;
            return num;
        }

        public static int MultNum(int q)
        {
            num *= q;
            return num;
        }
        public static int getNum()
        {
            return num;
        }

        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // 创建委托实例
            NumberChanger nc1 = new NumberChanger(AddNum);
            NumberChanger nc2 = new NumberChanger(MultNum);
            // 使用委托对象调用方法
            nc1(25);
            Console.WriteLine("Value of Num: {0}", getNum());
            nc2(5);
            Console.WriteLine("Value of Num: {0}", getNum());
            Console.ReadKey();
        }
    }
}

When the above code is compiled and executed, it will produce the following results:

Value of Num: 35
Value of Num: 175

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