Classes
.NET Properties
Working with Properties
.NET properties use get/set with auto-implemented backing.
Introduction to .NET Properties
.NET properties provide a flexible mechanism to read, write, or compute private field values. They are a part of the class interface in .NET and allow controlled access to the class data. Properties are defined using get and set accessors, which encapsulate a backing field, often automatically implemented.
Defining Properties with Get and Set Accessors
The get accessor is used to return the property value, and the set accessor assigns a new value. Here is a basic example of a property with explicit get and set accessors:
Auto-Implemented Properties
In many cases, you don't need to provide full backing field implementations. Auto-implemented properties simplify property declarations when no additional logic is required in the property accessors. Here's an example:
Read-Only and Write-Only Properties
Properties can be declared as read-only or write-only by omitting one of the accessors. A read-only property only includes a get accessor, while a write-only property only includes a set accessor.
Computed Properties
Properties can also be used to compute values on the fly. This is useful when the property value depends on other fields or properties.
Access Modifiers in Properties
Access modifiers such as private, protected, and internal can be applied to individual accessors of a property to control their visibility. This can be useful if you want to expose a property as read-only publicly but allow writing internally.
Conclusion
.NET properties are a powerful feature that allows developers to encapsulate data access within classes elegantly. Understanding how to use get/set accessors and auto-implemented properties will enable you to write cleaner and more maintainable code.
Classes
- Classes
- Structs
- Records
- Interfaces
- Inheritance
- Abstract Classes
- Enums
- Properties
