The Meaning of <T> in Generics in C#

The Meaning of <T> in Generics in C#

Generics are a feature that helps make code more flexible, allowing it to work with any data type.

Generic Classes

In C#, a class can be declared as generic by using <>. Here's an example:

class MyClass<T> 
{
    T value;
}

The <> indicates that the class will be using generics. Don't worry too much about the T. It could be any letter.

For example, instead of T, you could name it IamGeneric:

class MyClass<IamGeneric> 
{
    IamGeneric value;
}

You can freely choose any name inside the <>, but T is commonly used as a convention, standing for "Type".

Generic Functions

Generics can also be used in functions. Here's an example where instead of T, Primary and Secondary are used:

void MyFunc<Primary, Secondary>(Primary first, Secondary second)
{
    Console.WriteLine(first);
    Console.WriteLine(second);
}

This allows the function to accept various data types for its parameters.

Summary

  • Generics are declared using <>.
  • T is just a conventional name, and you can replace it with any name.
  • Using generics allows you to write code that is reusable across different data types without specifying the type in advance.
  • Functions can also use generics to accept various data types.

Now that you've understood the basic concept of generics, the code will become clearer and more flexible.

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