C# Coding Conventions

This document outlines commonly accepted coding conventions for C# to promote consistency and readability in codebases.

Table of Contents

• Naming Conventions
• Layout and Formatting
• Bracing
• Commenting
• Framework DI
• Language Usage

Naming Conventions

Layout and Formatting

• Place each statement on a new line.

Bracing

• Use K&R style braces (Allman style is also acceptable if consistent).

if (condition)
{
    DoSomething();
}
else
{
    DoSomethingElse();
}

Commenting

• Use XML documentation for public APIs
• Use // for inline or single-line comments.
• Avoid redundant comments that state the obvious.

         /// <summary>
        /// Update an item using a patch request
        /// </summary>
        /// <remarks>
        /// **Details:**
        /// - Partially updates an item for the specified store.
        /// </remarks>
        /// <param name="storeID">Store ID</param>
        /// <param name="id">Item ID</param>
        /// <param name="request">Patch request for item</param>
        /// <returns>The updated item with details</returns>
        [ProducesResponseType(typeof(BaseResponse<ItemWithDetailsQueryDTO>), 200)]
        [HttpPatch("{storeID}/{id}")]
        public async Task<IActionResult> UpdateItem(string storeID, Guid id, [FromBody] JsonPatchDocument<ItemUpdateRequest> request)
        {
            var dto = _mapper.Map<JsonPatchDocument<ItemWithDetailsQueryDTO>>(request);
            var response = await _itemCommandService.UpdateItem(storeID, id, dto);
            return Ok(new BaseResponse<ItemWithDetailsQueryDTO>(response));
        }

Framework DI

• Use ILogger via DI.
• With DI service mark it with private and readonly

     private readonly ILogger<MyService> _logger;

• Using primary contructor if you can

    public class ItemsController(
        IItemCommandService itemCommandService,
        IItemQueryService itemQueryService,
        IMapper mapper) : ControllerBase
    {
        private readonly IItemCommandService _itemCommandService = itemCommandService;
        private readonly IItemQueryService _itemQueryService = itemQueryService;
        private readonly IMapper _mapper = mapper;

Language Usage

• Use var when the type is obvious or repeated on the right-hand side:

var stream = new FileStream("file.txt", FileMode.Open);

• Prefer string interpolation over concatenation:

$"Hello, {name}!"

• Use expression-bodied members for simple properties and methods:

public int Square(int x) => x * x;

• Use using statements or using declarations for disposable resources.

using var stream = new FileStream("file.txt", FileMode.Open);

• Use the Async suffix** for all asynchronous methods

public async Task SaveChangesAsync()

• Use verbatim and interpolation string if that is multiple line and complicated string

var query = @"
                	SELECT 
                    CASE 
                        WHEN MIN(r.KitchenIDs) = MAX(r.KitchenIDs) THEN MIN(r.KitchenIDs) 
                        ELSE NULL 
                    END AS KitchentIDs
                    
                    FROM (
                        SELECT i.ItemID, STRING_AGG(k.KitchenID , ',') WITHIN GROUP (ORDER BY k.KitchenID) AS KitchenIDs  FROM pos.Items i
                        LEFT JOIN pos.ItemKitchenDetails AS k
                        ON i.ItemID = k.ItemID AND k.StoreID = @StoreID AND k.IsDeleted = 0
                        WHERE i.StoreID = @StoreID AND i.DeptDeptID = @ItemCategoryID AND i.IsDeleted = 0
                        GROUP BY i.ItemID
                    ) AS r
            ";