.NET 6 SDK Advanced Exploration: Attributes

Course details

Attributes add metadata to your programs and allow you to annotate given types, assemblies, modules, and methods. They’re especially handy if you’re an advanced .NET developer, as they lend your code base more declarative power with the additional services of .NET tools and code libraries. In this course, senior LinkedIn Learning instructor Walt Ritscher shows you how to use predefined, standard .NET attributes as well as how to create custom attributes on your own.

Learn about the features of attributes, how they function, and why they’re such a vital part of .NET programs. Get quick tips and user tricks on annotating your code like a seasoned pro, from testing for object quality to marking your testing methods. Along the way, Walt teaches you how to create custom attributes that meet the specific needs of your projects, such as attributes for the JSON serializer, PropertyGrid and the category attribute, the BindProperty attribute, and more.

Concepts

Introduction

Use declarative approach to code with .NET attributes
What you should know
My programming setup and configuration
How to access the sample code on GitHub

Overview

Metadata and .NET assemblies
Metadata consumers
What is an attribute
Examine the .NET attribute classes
Reading metadata and code with reflection

Use an Attribute

Use the Obsolete attribute
See the attribute metadata in the .NET assembly
Attribute constructors and properties
Apply multiple attributes

Create a Custom JSON Serializer Attribute

Examine the JSON serializer project
Create the attribute
Use the attribute in another project
Write reflection code to discover the attribute
Create a parameterized attribute
Find parameters with reflection

Create a Custom Unit Test Framework

Examine the zUnit projects
Explore the unit test attributes
Use the unit test attributes
Load attributes
Show the attribute metadata
Run the unit tests
Create an Assert class

Examples of .NET Attributes

Bit field enums and the flags attribute
PropertyGrid and the Category attribute
The BindProperty attribute in ASP.NET Razor Pages
Logging and the CallerMemberName attribute

Conclusion

Next steps