Metaprogramming in C#

Master advanced techniques for dynamic .NET programming and accelerate productivity by automating tasks, generating adaptable code, and more

Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook

Key Features

• Employ metaprogramming to automate your tasks and increase your productivity
• Write maintainable, scalable, and adaptable code using metaprogramming techniques
• Leverage the .NET runtime for complex problem-solving

Book Description

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.

What you will learn

• Explore how to leverage the .NET runtime
• Improve code quality and increase productivity
• Write adaptable code for changing requirements
• Learn Roslyn for code generation and static analysis
• Master metaprogramming and its practical implementations
• Use Dynamic Language Runtime for flexible and expressive programming

Who this book is for

This book is for C# developers interested in learning about the .NET runtime and how to leverage it for writing maintainable, scalable, and secure code. Software architects who are responsible for designing and managing complex software solutions will also benefit from the book.

Table of Contents

1. How Can Metaprogramming Benefit You?
2. Metaprogramming Concepts
3. Demystifying through Existing Real-World Examples
4. Reasoning about Types Using Reflection
5. Leveraging Attributes
6. Dynamic Proxy Generation
7. Reasoning about Expressions
8. Building and Executing Expressions
9. Taking Advantage of the Dynamic Language Runtime
10. Convention over Configuration
11. Applying the Open-Closed Principle
12. Go Beyond Inheritance
13. Applying Cross-Cutting Concerns
14. Aspect Oriented Programming
15. Roslyn Compiler Extensions
16. Generating Code
17. Static Code Analysis
18. Caveats and Final Words

Einar Ingebrigtsen works as chief architect at Aksio InsurTech, a company focusing on building insurance and pension solutions. His heart is in architecture and improving the lives of developers and he loves to create solutions that make other developers more productive and help in delivering great products to end users. Einar has been developing software professionally since 1994 and has done so in everything from games on different platforms to broadcast TV software, to telecom software, to line of business software within multiple different verticals. Of all of his experiences, he has fallen in love with a specific flavor of architecture, mindset, and approach – namely, event sourcing. Most of his time at work (and spare time) is devoted to building out a platform that has the goal of democratizing event sourcing called Cratis.