This is the first in what I hope will be a long series of quick posts covering the basics of programming in C#. For this first installment, I’ll review the proper use and improper use of a class or struct constructor.

What is a Constructor
In a C# class, a constructor is a special code block for a class or struct called when an instance of that class or struct is created. If a constructor is not defined in code, the compiler will create a default constructor without parameters. Constructors can be overridden and can call a base class constructor.

Proper Use of a Constructor
Use a constructor to set or initialize class or struct fields. If this initialization code is lengthy, such as in the construction of a Windows Form class, move the initialization code to a partial class file and call it something like InitializeComponents. Here are a few examples:

public partial class Apple : Fruit
{
  //same as a default constructor if not constructor defined
  public Apple()
  {
  }
  
  //initialize a local class member
  public Apple(string name)
  {
    _name = name;
  }
  
  //initialize and call base class constructor
  public Apple(string name, double weight) : base(weight)
  {
    _name = name;
  }

  //constructor with conditional param to control construction behavior
  public Apple(bool initializeAll)
  {
    if (initializeAll) InitializeComponents();
  }

  //shown here but often hidden away in another file of defining the partial class
  void InitializeComponents()
  {
    //do some lengthy but simple initialization of class members
  }  
  
  private string _name;
}

Improper Use of a Constructor
Do not use a constructor for error prone or complex code. Do not use a constructor to execute tasks, business logic. I’m not going to include code examples of bad constructors but here are a few anti-patterns I’ve seen in my travels:

• The constructor makes a call to an external service or database – BAD
• The constructor creates child objects and calls methods on those objects to perform some business function – BAD BAD
• The constructor asks for user input or reads from a file – BAD BAD BAD

Alternatives to a Constructor
If you require lengthy, long running or potentially error prone code to produce an instance object of a class or struct, use either a factory class or a static create method. Here’s how:

public class BookService : IBookService
{
  //a private default construtor prevents use of it outside of the class itself
  private BookService()
  {
  }
  
  public static BookService Create()
  {
    BookService instance = new BookService(); //calls private constructor
	
	//put lenghty or error prone code here that sets up the service
	
	return instance;
  }  
}

//use a factory for even more complex object creation
public static class BookServiceFactory
{
  public static IBookService Create(BookOptions options)
  {
    IBookService instance;
	
	//based on the BookOptions provide create the proper
	//concrete instance of an IBookService interface
	
	return instance;
  } 
}

Of course this is not a comprehensive treatment. It’s a blog post. If you want more, buy a book. If you have topics you would like to see addressed in future installments, please let me know.