What’s new in C# 6.0 language?

C# 6.0 is an another version of C# programming language released in the year 2015. C# 6 provides numerous new features which helps developer to write C# code in more clean and optimized way.

Here are top 8 features of C# 6.0 language

No major concepts introduced in C# 6.0. Mainly small features have been added which might help developers to optimize code.
Roslyn, a new compiler introduced in C# 6.0. The new version of C# i.e 6.0 contains many new features with may increase the productivity of developers. Let’s explore the list of new features in C# 6.0 which are really significant in use for a programmer.
  1. Auto Property Initializers
  2. using static
  3. Null Conditional Operator
  4. Exception Filters
  5. await in Catch and Finally block
  6. index initializers
  7. Expression Bodied functions
  8. String Interpolation

1. Auto Property Initializers

This new feature of C# 6.0 allows you to set an initial value for auto initializer. In earlier C# version this feature was not available.

Below is the code snippet.

public class Customer1
    {
        public Guid customerID1 { get; set; } = Guid.NewGuid();
    }

2. using static

This is one of the interesting features of C# 6.0 language.
It allows you to import the static methods of a single class.
for eg –
instead of writing using System;
We can now write.

using static System.Console;
using static System.Math
See below code snippet.

using static System.Console;
            //Before C# 6.0
            Console.WriteLine(“Hello”);
            //After C# 6.0
            WriteLine(“Welcome to C#”); 
            ReadLine();

3. Null-Conditional Operator

NULL Reference error always threatens to the developer. More chances are there to show a yellow page with showing this – “NULLReferenceException”. But in C# 6.0 new version, developer’s life is easy and it doesn’t throw NULLReferenceException error. Null-Conditional operator makes null check much easier in C# 6.0. Please check below code snippet.

            Product objProduct = new Product();
            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(objProduct.ProductName))
            {
                objProduct = null;
            }
                          // Before C# 6.0
            WriteLine(objProduct != null ? objProduct.ProductName : “Product1”); 
                          // from C# 6.0 onwards
            WriteLine(objProduct?.ProductName ?? “Product2”); 
public class Product
    {
        public string ProductName { get; set; } = string.Empty;
    }

4. Exception Filter

I personally love this new feature of C# 6.0 language. Exception filter allows you to show/log different exception messages based on your choice or requirement.

For eg – You want to show different exception messages to your internal and external users. How you will achieve this. Before C# 6.0 it was not possible, but now in C# 6.0, this feature allows you to do the same.

Please see below code snippet.

            string user1 = “user”;
            string user2 = “admin”;
            string loggedinUser = string.Empty;
            try
            {
                if (loggedinUser == user1)
                {
                    //Some action
                    //Exception occurred
                }
                else if (loggedinUser == user2)
                {
                    //Some action
                    //Exception occurred
                }
            }
            catch(Exception ex) when(loggedinUser == user2) // This exception for admin
            {
                WriteLine(“Hi, There is some issue. Please contact super admin.”);
            }
            catch(Exception ex)// This exception for other users
            {
                WriteLine(“Hi, There is some issue. Please contact administrator”);
            }

5. await in catch and finally block

Earlier versions of C# had multiple limitations while using await expression. Now, C# 6.0 new feature provides asynchronous programming in catch and finally

This is the most awaited feature. Before C# 6.0 it was not possible to use async and await within catch and finally block. But now it is possible in C# 6.0. Please look at below code snippet.

        //Asynchronous programming in catch finally
        public async void CalCDevision(int val1, int val2)
        {
            try
            {
                int res = val1 / val2;
                WriteLine(res);
            }
            catch (Exception)
            {
                await CatchMethod();
            }
            finally
            {
                await FinallyMethod();
            }
        }
        private async Task CatchMethod()
        {
            WriteLine(“Exception occured”);
        }
        private async Task FinallyMethod()
        {
            WriteLine(“Finally Executed”);
        }

6. Index Initializer

This C# 6.0 feature makes collection initializers more consistent.
Before C# 6.0 Dictionary Initialization syntax is {“Key”, “Value”}
But now in C# 6.0 we can write like this – [“Key”] = “Value”;

See below code snippet.

          //Dictionary initialization Before C# 6.0
            var WebPageError = new Dictionary<int, string> {
            { 404, “Page Not Found” }, { 301, “Moved Permanently” },{ 404, “Internal Server Error” }};
            //After C# 6.0
            var webPageError = new Dictionary<int, string>
            {
                [404] = “Page Not Found”,
                [301] = “Moved Permanently”,
                [500] = “Internal Server Error”
            };

7. Expression-Bodied Function

This C# 6.0 new feature allows us to write a function as an expression. This new feature of C# works for methods and properties which are read-only. See below code snippet and you will notice the differences.

       //Before C# 6.0
        public static int AddNumbers(int x, int y)
        {
            return x + y;
        }
        //C# 6.0 onwards
        public static int Add2Numbers(int x, int y) => x + y;

8. String Interpolation

With this new feature of C# 6.0 way to write Format string has been completely changed. See below code snippet.

            string message = “Hi {0}, Welcome to {1}.”;
          string userName = “User”;
          string sitename = “SharePointCafe.net”;
            //Before C# 6.0
            string output = string.Format(message, userName, sitename);
          WriteLine(output);
            //C# 6.0
            message = $”Hi {userName}, Welcome to {sitename}.”;
          WriteLine(message);
          ReadLine();

How to implement new features of C# 6.0?

If you want to learn the implementation of these C# 6.0 new features, then watch videos on YouTube.

You may watch below videos – C# 6.0 new Features Part1 and Part2

Watch Part 2 of “C# 6.0 new features”

You may read some popular blogs on SharePointCafe.Net

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