C# Queryable: IQueryable Interface and AsQueryable

This C# article examines the IQueryable interface, AsQueryable method and Queryable static class.

Queryable. What is the IQueryable interface used for? We find a Queryable class, an IQueryable interface, and an AsQueryable extension method.LINQ

Internal development. The IQueryable class is used to develop LINQ query providers. This feature is used to develop the .NET Framework itself.

A Queryable example. Here we have an int array and use AsQueryable (an extension method) on it. This gives us an IQueryable reference.

And: We call Queryable.Average (a static method) with our IQueryable interface reference.

Interface

C# program that uses Queryable using System; using System.Linq; class Program { static void Main() { var values = new int[] { 5, 10, 20 }; // We can convert an int array to IQueryable. // ... And then we can pass it to Queryable and methods like Average. double result = Queryable.Average(values.AsQueryable()); Console.WriteLine(result); } } Output 11.6666666666667

IQueryable. The IQueryable interface inherits from IEnumerable. We can use IQueryable in a similar way as IEnumerable to act upon collections of elements with a unified type.

Warning: There is no advantage to using IQueryable over IEnumerable here. And it is simpler to use IEnumerable.

IEnumerable

C# program that uses IQueryable as argument type using System; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Linq; class Program { static void Main() { // List and array can be converted to IQueryable. List<int> list = new List<int>(); list.Add(0); list.Add(1); int[] array = new int[2]; array[0] = 0; array[1] = 1; // We can use IQueryable to treat collections with one type. Test(list.AsQueryable()); Test(array.AsQueryable()); } static void Test(IQueryable<int> items) { Console.WriteLine($"Average: {items.Average()}"); Console.WriteLine($"Sum: {items.Sum()}"); } } Output Average: 0.5 Sum: 1 Average: 0.5 Sum: 1

Some research. So what are some practical uses of IQueryable? Based on my research, IQueryable is used to implement LINQ providers for the .NET Framework internals.

So: IQueryable, and AsQueryable, are most useful for Framework developers, not users of the .NET Framework.

Quote: The IQueryable interface is intended for implementation by query providers. It is only supposed to be implemented by providers that also implement IQueryable<T>.

IQueryable Interface: Microsoft.com

Research, continued. Development of an IQueryable class appears to be both complicated and difficult. It is probably best left to the implementors of the .NET Framework.

A summary. The .NET Framework contains features that are used for the development of the .NET Framework itself. Other features like "dynamic" are also focused on framework development.Dynamic

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