If you are interested in C# 3.0, there is an article at MSDN that details all the C# 3.0 Specification, with technical info and inline samples. You can find that article here!
Yesterday, while I was reading the article, I copied and pasted what I think summarizes best what’s new in the language, a sort of a quick reference for the new C# 3.0 features. Here is the result:
Quick Reference for the new features in C# 3.0 (taken from the C# 3.0 Specification)
1. Implicitly Typed Local Variables
In an implicitly typed local variable declaration, the type of the local variable being declared is inferred from the expression used to initialize the variable:
var i = 5;
var s = “Hello”;
var d = 1.0;
var numbers = new int[] {1, 2, 3};
var orders = new Dictionary<int,Order>();
Is equivalent to:
int i = 5;
string s = “Hello”;
double d = 1.0;
int[] numbers = new int[] {1, 2, 3};
Dictionary<int,Order> orders = new Dictionary<int,Order>();
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.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
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width: 100%;
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.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
2. Extension Methods
Extension methods are static methods that can be invoked using instance method syntax. In effect, extension methods make it possible to extend existing types and constructed types with additional methods.
Extension methods are declared by specifying the keyword this as a modifier on the first parameter of the methods. Extension methods can only be declared in static classes.
namespace Acme.Utilities
{
public static class Extensions
{
public static int ToInt32(this string s) {
return Int32.Parse(s);
}
public static T[] Slice<T>(this T[] source, int index, int count) {
if (index < 0 || count < 0 || source.Length – index < count)
throw new ArgumentException();
T[] result = new T[count];
Array.Copy(source, index, result, 0, count);
return result;
}
}
}
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color: black;
font-family: consolas, “Courier New”, courier, monospace;
background-color: #ffffff;
/*white-space: pre;*/
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.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
{
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width: 100%;
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.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
Extension methods have all the capabilities of regular static methods. In addition, once imported, extension methods can be invoked using instance method syntax. Extension methods are imported through using-namespace-directives. In effect, imported extension methods appear as additional methods on the types that are given by their first parameter and have lower precedence than regular instance methods.
using Acme.Utilities;
string s = “1234″;
int i = s.ToInt32(); // Same as Extensions.ToInt32(s)
int[] digits = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9};
int[] a = digits.Slice(4, 3); // Same as Extensions.Slice(digits, 4, 3)
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{
font-size: small;
color: black;
font-family: consolas, “Courier New”, courier, monospace;
background-color: #ffffff;
/*white-space: pre;*/
}
.csharpcode pre { margin: 0em; }
.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
{
background-color: #f4f4f4;
width: 100%;
margin: 0em;
}
.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
3. Lambda Expressions
C# 2.0 introduces anonymous methods, which allow code blocks to be written “in-line” where delegate values are expected. Lambda expressions provide a more concise, functional syntax for writing anonymous methods.
A lambda expression is written as a parameter list, followed by the => token, followed by an expression or a statement block.
The parameters of a lambda expression can be explicitly or implicitly typed. In an explicitly typed parameter list, the type of each parameter is explicitly stated. In an implicitly typed parameter list, the types of the parameters are inferred from the context in which the lambda expression occurs-specifically, when the lambda expression is converted to a compatible delegate type, that delegate type provides the parameter types.
In a lambda expression with a single, implicitly typed parameter, the parentheses may be omitted from the parameter list. In other words, a lambda expression of the form
( param ) => exp.
can be abbreviated to
param => exp.
Some examples of lambda expressions follow below:
x => x + 1 // Implicitly typed, expression body
x => { return x + 1; } // Implicitly typed, statement body
(int x) => x + 1 // Explicitly typed, expression body
(int x) => { return x + 1; } // Explicitly typed, statement body
(x, y) => x * y // Multiple parameters
() => Console.WriteLine() // No parameters
A lambda-expression can be implicitly converted to a compatible delegate type.
The examples that follow use a generic delegate type Func<A,R> which represents a function taking an argument of type A and returning a value of type R:
delegate R Func<A,R>(A arg);
In the assignments
Func<int,int> f1 = x => x + 1; // Ok
Func<int,double> f2 = x => x + 1; // Ok
Func<double,int> f3 = x => x + 1; // Error: return type of double cannot be implicitly converted to int
When a generic method is called without specifying type arguments, a type inference process attempts to infer type arguments for the call. Lambda expressions passed as arguments to the generic method participate in this type inference process.
The following example demonstrates how lambda expression type inference allows type information to “flow” between arguments in a generic method invocation. Given the method
static Z F<X,Y,Z>(X value, Func<X,Y> f1, Func<Y,Z> f2)
{
return f2(f1(value));
}
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color: black;
font-family: consolas, “Courier New”, courier, monospace;
background-color: #ffffff;
/*white-space: pre;*/
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.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
{
background-color: #f4f4f4;
width: 100%;
margin: 0em;
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.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
type inference for the invocation
double seconds = F(“1:15:30″, s => TimeSpan.Parse(s), t => t.TotalSeconds);
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font-family: consolas, “Courier New”, courier, monospace;
background-color: #ffffff;
/*white-space: pre;*/
}
.csharpcode pre { margin: 0em; }
.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
{
background-color: #f4f4f4;
width: 100%;
margin: 0em;
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.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
proceeds as follows: First, the argument “1:15:30″ is related to the value parameter, inferring X to be string. Then, the parameter of the first lambda expression, s, is given the inferred type string, and the expression TimeSpan.Parse(s) is related to the return type of f1, inferring Y to be System.TimeSpan. Finally, the parameter of the second lambda expression, t, is given the inferred type System.TimeSpan, and the expression t.TotalSeconds is related to the return type of f2, inferring Z to be double. Thus, the result of the invocation is of type double.
4. Object Initializers
An object initializer specifies values for one or more fields or properties of an object. An object initializer consists of a sequence of member initializers, enclosed by { and } tokens and separated by commas. Each member initializer must name an accessible field or property of the object being initialized, followed by an equals sign and an expression or an object or collection initializer.
The following class represents a point with two coordinates:
public class Point
{
int x, y;
public int X { get { return x; } set { x = value; } }
public int Y { get { return y; } set { y = value; } }
}
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{
font-size: small;
color: black;
font-family: consolas, “Courier New”, courier, monospace;
background-color: #ffffff;
/*white-space: pre;*/
}
.csharpcode pre { margin: 0em; }
.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
{
background-color: #f4f4f4;
width: 100%;
margin: 0em;
}
.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
An instance of Point can be created and initialized as follows:
var a = new Point { X = 0, Y = 1 };
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}
.csharpcode pre { margin: 0em; }
.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
{
background-color: #f4f4f4;
width: 100%;
margin: 0em;
}
.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
Another sample:
public class Rectangle
{
Point p1, p2;
public Point P1 { get { return p1; } set { p1 = value; } }
public Point P2 { get { return p2; } set { p2 = value; } }
}
.csharpcode, .csharpcode pre
{
font-size: small;
color: black;
font-family: consolas, “Courier New”, courier, monospace;
background-color: #ffffff;
/*white-space: pre;*/
}
.csharpcode pre { margin: 0em; }
.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
{
background-color: #f4f4f4;
width: 100%;
margin: 0em;
}
.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
An instance of Rectangle can be created and initialized as follows:
var r = new Rectangle
{
P1 = new Point { X = 0, Y = 1 },
P2 = new Point { X = 2, Y = 3 }
};
.csharpcode, .csharpcode pre
{
font-size: small;
color: black;
font-family: consolas, “Courier New”, courier, monospace;
background-color: #ffffff;
/*white-space: pre;*/
}
.csharpcode pre { margin: 0em; }
.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
{
background-color: #f4f4f4;
width: 100%;
margin: 0em;
}
.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
5. Collection Initializers
A collection initializer specifies the elements of a collection. A collection initializer consists of a sequence of element initializers, enclosed by { and } tokens and separated by commas. Each element initializer specifies an element to be added to the collection object being initialized. To avoid ambiguity with member initializers, element initializers cannot be assignment expressions.
The following is an example of an object creation expression that includes a collection initializer:
List<int> digits = new List<int> { 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 };
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{
font-size: small;
color: black;
font-family: consolas, “Courier New”, courier, monospace;
background-color: #ffffff;
/*white-space: pre;*/
}
.csharpcode pre { margin: 0em; }
.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
{
background-color: #f4f4f4;
width: 100%;
margin: 0em;
}
.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
The collection object to which a collection initializer is applied must be of a type that implements System.Collections.Generic.ICollection<T> for exactly one T.
6. Anonymous Types
C# 3.0 permits the new operator to be used with an anonymous object initializer to create an object of an anonymous type. An anonymous object initializer declares an anonymous type and returns an instance of that type. An anonymous type is a nameless class type that inherits directly from object. The members of an anonymous type are a sequence of read/write properties inferred from the object initializer(s) used to create instances of the type. Specifically, an anonymous object initializer of the form
new { p1 = e1 , p2 = e2 , … pn = en }
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{
font-size: small;
color: black;
font-family: consolas, “Courier New”, courier, monospace;
background-color: #ffffff;
/*white-space: pre;*/
}
.csharpcode pre { margin: 0em; }
.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
{
background-color: #f4f4f4;
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.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
declares an anonymous type of the form
class __Anonymous1
{
private T1 f1 ;
private T2 f2 ;
…
private Tn fn ;
public T1 p1 { get { return f1 ; } set { f1 = value ; } }
public T2 p2 { get { return f2 ; } set { f2 = value ; } }
…
public T1 p1 { get { return f1 ; } set { f1 = value ; } }
}
.csharpcode, .csharpcode pre
{
font-size: small;
color: black;
font-family: consolas, “Courier New”, courier, monospace;
background-color: #ffffff;
/*white-space: pre;*/
}
.csharpcode pre { margin: 0em; }
.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
{
background-color: #f4f4f4;
width: 100%;
margin: 0em;
}
.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
In the example
var p1 = new { Name = “Lawnmower”, Price = 495.00 };
var p2 = new { Name = “Shovel”, Price = 26.95 };
p1 = p2;
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{
font-size: small;
color: black;
font-family: consolas, “Courier New”, courier, monospace;
background-color: #ffffff;
/*white-space: pre;*/
}
.csharpcode pre { margin: 0em; }
.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
{
background-color: #f4f4f4;
width: 100%;
margin: 0em;
}
.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
the assignment on the last line is permitted because p1 and p2 are of the same anonymous type.
7. Implicitly Typed Arrays
In an implicitly typed array creation expression, the type of the array instance is inferred from the elements specified in the array initializer. The following are examples of implicitly typed array creation expressions:
var a = new[] { 1, 10, 100, 1000 }; // int[]
var b = new[] { 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 }; // double[]
var c = new[] { “hello”, null, “world” }; // string[]
var d = new[] { 1, “one“, 2, “two” }; // Error
.csharpcode, .csharpcode pre
{
font-size: small;
color: black;
font-family: consolas, “Courier New”, courier, monospace;
background-color: #ffffff;
/*white-space: pre;*/
}
.csharpcode pre { margin: 0em; }
.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
{
background-color: #f4f4f4;
width: 100%;
margin: 0em;
}
.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
8. Query Expressions
Query expressions provide a language integrated syntax for queries that is similar to relational and hierarchical query languages such as SQL and XQuery.
A query expression begins with a from clause and ends with either a select or group clause. The initial from clause can be followed by zero or more from or where clauses. Each from clause is a generator that introduces an iteration variable ranging over a sequence, and each where clause is a filter that excludes items from the result. The final select or group clause specifies the shape of the result in terms of the iteration variable(s). The select or group clause may be preceded by an orderby clause that specifies an ordering for the result. Finally, an into clause can be used to “splice” queries by treating the results of one query as a generator in a subsequent query.
The C# 3.0 language does not specify the exact execution semantics of query expressions. Rather, C# 3.0 translates query expressions into invocations of methods that adhere to the query expression pattern. Specifically, query expressions are translated into invocations of methods named Where, Select, SelectMany, OrderBy, OrderByDescending, ThenBy, ThenByDescending, and GroupBy that are expected to have particular signatures and result types. These methods can be instance methods of the object being queried or extension methods that are external to the object, and they implement the actual execution of the query.
· where clauses
A where clause in a query expression:
from c customers where c.City == “London” select c;
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.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
{
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.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
translates to an invocation of a Where method with a synthesized lambda expression created by combining the iteration variable identifier and the expression of the where clause:
customers.Where(c => c.City == “London”)
· select clauses
A select clause that selects something other than the innermost iteration variable:
from c in customers where c.City == “London” select c.Name;
translates to an invocation of a Select method with a synthesized lambda expression:
customers.Where(c => c.City == “London”).Select(c => c.Name)
· group clauses
A group clause:
from c in customers group c.Name by c.Country
translates to an invocation of a GroupBy method:
customers.GroupBy(c => c.Country, c => c.Name)
· orderby clauses
An orderby clause:
from c in customers orderby c.Name select new { c.Name, c.Phone }
translates to an invocation of an OrderBy method, or an OrderByDescending method if a descending direction was specified:
customers.OrderBy(c => c.Name).Select(c => new { c.Name, c.Phone })
Secondary orderings in an orderby clause:
from c in customers orderby c.Country, c.Balance descending select new { c.Name, c.Country, c.Balance }
translate to invocations of ThenBy and ThenByDescending methods:
customers.OrderBy(c => c.Country).ThenByDescending(c => c.Balance).Select(c => new { c.Name, c.Country, c.Balance })
· into clauses
An into clause:
from c in customers group c by c.Country into g select new { Country = g.Key, CustCount = g.Group.Count() }
is simply a more convenient notation for a nested query:
from g in from c in customers group c by c.Country select new { Country = g.Key, CustCount = g.Group.Count() }
the translation of which is:
customers.GroupBy(c => c.Country).Select(g => new { Country = g.Key, CustCount = g.Group.Count() })
The Query Expression Pattern
The Query Expression Pattern establishes a pattern of methods that types can implement to support query expressions. Because query expressions are translated to method invocations by means of a syntactic mapping, types have considerable flexibility in how they implement the query expression pattern.
The recommended shape of a generic type C<T> that supports the query expression pattern is shown below. A generic type is used in order to illustrate the proper relationships between parameter and result types, but it is possible to implement the pattern for non-generic types as well.
delegate R Func<A,R>(A arg);
class C<T>
{
public C<T> Where(Func<T,bool> predicate);
public C<S> Select<S>(Func<T,S> selector);
public C<S> SelectMany<S>(Func<T,C<S>> selector);
public O<T> OrderBy<K>(Func<T,K> keyExpr);
public O<T> OrderByDescending<K>(Func<T,K> keyExpr);
public C<G<K,T>> GroupBy<K>(Func<T,K> keyExpr);
public C<G<K,E>> GroupBy<K,E>(Func<T,K> keyExpr, Func<T,E> elemExpr);
}
class O<T> : C<T>
{
public O<T> ThenBy<K>(Func<T,K> keySelector);
public O<T> ThenByDescending<K>(Func<T,K> keySelector);
}
class G<K,T>
{
public K Key { get; }
public C<T> Group { get; }
}
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{
font-size: small;
color: black;
font-family: consolas, “Courier New”, courier, monospace;
background-color: #ffffff;
/*white-space: pre;*/
}
.csharpcode pre { margin: 0em; }
.csharpcode .rem { color: #008000; }
.csharpcode .kwrd { color: #0000ff; }
.csharpcode .str { color: #006080; }
.csharpcode .op { color: #0000c0; }
.csharpcode .preproc { color: #cc6633; }
.csharpcode .asp { background-color: #ffff00; }
.csharpcode .html { color: #800000; }
.csharpcode .attr { color: #ff0000; }
.csharpcode .alt
{
background-color: #f4f4f4;
width: 100%;
margin: 0em;
}
.csharpcode .lnum { color: #606060; }
The methods above use a generic delegate type Func<A, R>, but they could equally well have used other delegate or expression tree types with the same relationships in parameter and result types.
Notice the recommended relationship between C<T> and O<T> which ensures that the ThenBy and ThenByDescending methods are available only on the result of an OrderBy or OrderByDescending. Also notice the recommended shape of the result of GroupBy, which is a sequence of groupings that each has a Key and Group property.
9. Expression Trees
Expression trees permit lambda expressions to be represented as data structures instead of executable code. A lambda expression that is convertible to a delegate type D is also convertible to an expression tree of type System.Query.Expression<D>. Whereas the conversion of a lambda expression to a delegate type causes executable code to be generated and referenced by a delegate, conversion to an expression tree type causes code that creates an expression tree instance to be emitted. Expression trees are efficient in-memory data representations of lambda expressions and make the structure of the expression transparent and explicit.
The following example represents a lambda expression both as executable code and as an expression tree. Because a conversion exists to Func<int,int>, a conversion also exists to Expression<Func<int,int>>.
Func<int,int> f = x => x + 1; // Code
Expression<Func<int,int>> e = x => x + 1; // Data
Following these assignments, the delegate f references a method that returns x + 1, and the expression tree e references a data structure that describes the expression x + 1.
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