C# Interfaces with optional methods
You should create two interfaces:
interface ITest
{
void MethodOne();
}
interface ITest2 : ITest
{
void MethodTwo();
}
This would also make it clear which functionality requires which version of your interfaces, so that you don't have to check whether the class implementing the interface is implementing just one, or both, methods.
I've not seen such an attribute, but I guess it's possible. This article on MSDN describes versioning through the use of the overrides
and new
keywords.
In short, C# is equipped with language features that allow derived classes to evolve and still maintain compatibility. This example shows a purely base-to-derived relationship, but the base would actually implement the interface you need to version. Having one interface require another (previous version) interface coupled with this method is quite useful as well.
Example of creating an interface that requires another:
public interface IMyInterface
{
void FirstMethod();
}
public interface IMySecondInterface : IMyInterface
{
void SecondMethod();
}
Example of using inheritance to maintain compatibility:
public class MyBase
{
public virtual string Meth1()
{
return "MyBase-Meth1";
}
public virtual string Meth2()
{
return "MyBase-Meth2";
}
public virtual string Meth3()
{
return "MyBase-Meth3";
}
}
class MyDerived : MyBase
{
// Overrides the virtual method Meth1 using the override keyword:
public override string Meth1()
{
return "MyDerived-Meth1";
}
// Explicitly hide the virtual method Meth2 using the new
// keyword:
public new string Meth2()
{
return "MyDerived-Meth2";
}
// Because no keyword is specified in the following declaration
// a warning will be issued to alert the programmer that
// the method hides the inherited member MyBase.Meth3():
public string Meth3()
{
return "MyDerived-Meth3";
}
public static void Main()
{
MyDerived mD = new MyDerived();
MyBase mB = (MyBase) mD;
System.Console.WriteLine(mB.Meth1());
System.Console.WriteLine(mB.Meth2());
System.Console.WriteLine(mB.Meth3());
}
}
Update for 2019: If your project supports C# 8.0 you can use "default interface implementations", which makes the method optional to implement and fall back on the default implementation if you choose not to implement it.
interface ITest
{
void MethodOne();
public void MethodTwo()
{
//Empty default implementation
}
}