In-Depth Tech Knowledge

Traditional C# pattern matching with switch statements and if/else chains is error-prone and doesn't guarantee exhaustive handling of all cases. When you add new types or states, it's easy to miss updating conditional logic, leading to runtime bugs. The library Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions solves this with built-in Switch and Map methods for discriminated unions that enforce compile-time exhaustiveness checking.

Value Objects in .NET provide a structured way to improve consistency and maintainability in domain modeling. This article examines their integration with popular frameworks and libraries, highlighting best practices for seamless implementation. From working with Entity Framework to leveraging their advantages in ASP.NET, we explore how Value Objects can be effectively incorporated into various architectures. By understanding their role in framework integration, developers can optimize data handling and enhance code clarity without unnecessary complexity.

This article builds upon the introduction of Smart Enums by exploring their powerful capability to encapsulate behavior, a significant limitation of traditional C# enums. We delve into how Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions enables embedding domain-specific logic directly within Smart Enum definitions. This co-location of data and behavior promotes more cohesive, object-oriented, and maintainable code, moving beyond scattered switch statements and extension methods. Discover techniques to make your enumerations truly "smart" by integrating behavior directly where it belongs.

Representing values that may take on multiple distinct types or states is a common challenge in C#. Traditional approaches—like tuples, generics, or exceptions—often lead to clumsy and error-prone code. Discriminated unions address these issues by enabling clear, type-safe modeling of “one-of” alternatives. This article examines pitfalls of conventional patterns and introduces discriminated unions with the Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions library, demonstrating how they enhance code safety, prevent invalid states, and improve maintainability—unlocking powerful domain modeling in .NET with minimal boilerplate.

While simple value objects wrap single primitives, many domain concepts involve multiple related properties (e.g., a date range's start and end). This article introduces Complex Value Objects in .NET, which group these properties into a cohesive unit. This ensures internal consistency, centralizes validation, and encapsulates behavior. Discover how to implement these for clearer, safer code using the library Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions, which minimizes boilerplate when handling such related data.

Traditional C# enums often fall short when needing to associate data or behavior with constants, or ensure strong type safety. This article explores the "Smart Enum" pattern as a superior alternative. Leveraging the library Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions and Roslyn Source Generators, developers can easily implement Smart Enums. These provide a robust, flexible, and type-safe way to represent fixed sets of related options, encapsulating both data and behavior directly within the Smart Enum. This results in more maintainable, expressive, and resilient C# code, overcoming the limitations of basic enums.