C# Automatic Properties - Why Do I Have To Write “get; set;”?

Question

If both get and set are compulsory in C# automatic properties, why do I have to bother specifying \"get; set;\" at all?

Answer 1

Just thought I would share my findings on this topic.

Coding a property like the following, is a .net 3.0 shortcut call “auto-implemented property”.

public int MyProperty { get; set; }

This saves you some typing. The long way to declare a property is like this:

private int myProperty;
public int MyProperty 
{
  get { return myProperty; }
  set { myProperty = value; } 
}

When you use the “auto-implemented property” the compiler generates the code to wire up the get and set to some “k_BackingField”. Below is the disassembled code using Reflector.

public int MyProperty
{
    [CompilerGenerated]
    get
    {
        return this.<MyProperty>k__BackingField;
    }
    [CompilerGenerated]
    set
    {
        this.<MyProperty>k__BackingField = value;
    }
}

disassembled C# code from IL

Also wires up a method for the setter and getter.

[CompilerGenerated]
public void set_MyProperty(int value)
{
    this.<MyProperty>k__BackingField = value;
}
[CompilerGenerated]
public int get_MyProperty()
{
    return this.<MyProperty>k__BackingField;
}

disassembled C# code from IL

When you declare a read only auto-implemented property, by setting the setter to private:

 public int MyProperty { get; private set; }

All the compiler does flag the "set" as private. The setter and getter method say the same.

public int MyProperty
{
    [CompilerGenerated]
    get
    {
        return this.<MyProperty>k__BackingField;
    }
    private [CompilerGenerated]
    set
    {
        this.<MyProperty>k__BackingField = value;
    }
}

disassembled C# code from IL

So I am not sure why the framework require both the get; and set; on an auto-implemented property. They could have just not written the set and setter method if it was not supplied. But there may be some compiler level issue that makes this difficult, I don't know.

If you look at the long way of declaring a read only property:

public int myProperty = 0;
public int MyProperty
{
    get { return myProperty; }
}  

And then look at the disassembled code. The setter is not there at all.

public int Test2
{
    get
    {
        return this._test;
    }
}

public int get_Test2()
{
    return this._test;
}

disassembled C# code from IL

Answer 2

ERROR: A property or indexer may not be passed as an out or ref parameter

If you didn't specify {get; set;} then the compiler wouldn't know if it's a field or a property. This is important becasue while they "look" identical the compiler treats them differently. e.g. Calling "InitAnInt" on the property raises an error.

class Test
{
    public int n;
    public int i { get; set; }
    public void InitAnInt(out int p)
    {
        p = 100;
    }
    public Test()
    {
        InitAnInt(out n); // This is OK
        InitAnInt(out i); // ERROR: A property or indexer may not be passed 
                          // as an out or ref parameter
    }
}

You shouldn't create public fields/Variables on classes, you never know when you'll want to change it to have get & set accessors, and then you don't know what code you're going to break, especially if you have clients that program against your API.

Also you can have different access modifiers for the get & set, e.g. {get; private set;} makes the get public and the the set private to the declaring class.

Answer 3

Also, because ever since C# 6.0 (in Visual Studio 2015, at the time of this answer available in version Ultimate Preview) you may implement a true read-only property:

public string Name { get; }
public string Name { get; } = "This won't change even internally";

... as opposed to currently imperfect workaround with public getter/private setter pair:

public string Name { get; private set; }

public Constructor() { Name="As initialised"; }
public void Method() { Name="This might be changed internally. By mistake. Or not."; }

Example of the above below (compiled and executable online here).

using System;

public class Propertier {
    public string ReadOnlyPlease { get; private set; }

    public Propertier()  { ReadOnlyPlease="As initialised"; }
    public void Method() { ReadOnlyPlease="This might be changed internally"; }
    public override string ToString() { return String.Format("[{0}]",ReadOnlyPlease); }
}

public class Program {
    static void Main() {
        Propertier p=new Propertier();
        Console.WriteLine(p);

//      p.ReadOnlyPlease="Changing externally!";
//      Console.WriteLine(p);

        // error CS0272: The property or indexer `Propertier.ReadOnlyPlease' cannot be used in this context because the set accessor is inaccessible
        // That's good and intended.

        // But...
        p.Method();
        Console.WriteLine(p);
    }
}

Other tasty news about C# 6.0 available as official preview video here.

Answer 4

Because you might want a read-only property:

public int Foo { get; private set; }

Or Write-only property:

public int Foo { private get; set; }

Answer 5

If the property didn't have accessors, how would the compiler separate it from a field? And what would separate it from a field?

Answer 6

The compiler needs to know if you want it to generate a getter and/or a setter, or perhaps are declaring a field.