Discover the best practices for encapsulation in C#. Learn when to use auto-properties, when to switch to backing fields, and how to keep your property setters clean, focused, and maintainable with practical examples and actionable guidelines.
TL;DR: The Open/Closed Principle (OCP) states: classes should be open for extension, but closed for modification. You don’t need to create a plugin for every new feature, favor simpler patterns like strategy, inheritance, or composition. Start with well-named abstractions; introduce extensibility points only when real change is expected. Keep code maintainable by balancing extension points with simplicity. Overengineering is a bigger risk than occasional refactoring. The Open/Closed Principle isn’t about making everything extensible. It simply means that your core business logic should be closed to modification but open to extension. The real skill is knowing when to apply it and when you’re just over-engineering your code. ...
Discover when it’s justified to break SOLID principles for performance in C#. Learn how to measure, isolate, and document exceptions, see real-world trade-offs, and keep your codebase maintainable, even in the engine bay of high-throughput systems.
TL;DR: SRP means each class or module should have only one reason to change. Split validation, data access, and business logic into separate classes. SRP improves maintainability, testability, and scalability. Use C# 12 features like primary constructors and records for clean separation. Avoid “God” classes and mixing unrelated responsibilities. SRP is the foundation for applying other SOLID principles. Refactor large classes by extracting focused components and using dependency injection. The Single Responsibility Principle gets misunderstood more than any other SOLID principle. It’s not about doing one thing, it’s about having one reason to change. When your class changes for multiple business reasons, you’ve violated SRP and created a maintenance nightmare. ...
Discover how guard clauses in C# simplify validation and error handling. Learn to write fail-fast code, avoid nested conditionals, and keep business logic clean with modern language features and reusable helpers.
Discover how composition helps you follow the SOLID principles in C#. See practical examples for each principle, learn why composition is more flexible than inheritance, and get actionable tips for writing robust, testable, and maintainable code.
Discover why composition is often a better choice than inheritance in C#. This article explains the drawbacks of deep inheritance, demonstrates how to use composition for flexible and maintainable code, and provides practical tips for applying these principles in real-world projects. Includes code examples and guidance for testable, scalable software design.
TL;DR Avoid repetitive response handling in ASP.NET Core controllers by using helper methods or result wrapper patterns. Helper methods reduce boilerplate for common responses like BadRequest, NotFound, and Ok. The result wrapper pattern centralizes success and error handling, making controllers cleaner and responses consistent. Keep business logic in services and HTTP response logic in controllers for better separation of concerns. Use extension methods and middleware for standardized error handling and global exception management. Consistent response patterns improve API documentation and client experience. Minimal performance impact; benefits in maintainability and clarity far outweigh the overhead. We’ve all been there. You’re building an API and you find yourself writing the same code over and over again: ...