Inspecting methods and properties in C Sharp (C#) - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is reflection in C#?

Reflection is a way to look at the details of types, methods, and properties in a program while it is running. It helps you find out what methods and properties a class has.

beginner

How do you get all methods of a class using reflection?

You use the GetMethods() method on a Type object to get an array of all methods in that class.

beginner

What does GetProperties() return?

It returns an array of <code>PropertyInfo</code> objects, each representing a property of the class you are inspecting.

intermediate

How can you find out the return type of a method using reflection?

Each MethodInfo object has a ReturnType property that tells you the type of value the method returns.

intermediate

Why might you want to inspect methods and properties at runtime?

Inspecting methods and properties lets you write flexible code that can work with objects you don’t know about until the program runs. For example, plugins or tools that work with many types.

Which C# class is used to get information about methods and properties of a type?

A System.PropertyInfo

B System.MethodInfo

C System.Reflection

D System.Type

System.Type represents the type and provides methods like GetMethods() and GetProperties() to inspect members.

What does the GetMethods() method return?

A An array of MethodInfo objects

B An array of PropertyInfo objects

C A list of strings with method names

D A boolean indicating if methods exist

GetMethods() returns MethodInfo objects that describe each method.

How do you get the name of a property using reflection?

A Use GetPropertyName() method

B Use the Name property of PropertyInfo

C Use ToString() on MethodInfo

D Call GetName() on Type

PropertyInfo objects have a Name property that gives the property’s name.

Which property of MethodInfo tells you the return type of a method?

A ReturnType

B MethodType

C Type

D ResultType

ReturnType gives the type of value the method returns.

Why is inspecting methods and properties useful?

A To prevent errors at compile time

B To speed up program execution

C To write code that works with unknown types at runtime

D To change method code dynamically

Reflection helps write flexible code that can handle types discovered only when the program runs.

Explain how you can use reflection to list all methods and properties of a class in C#.

Think about how to get the Type first, then how to get members from it.

Describe a real-life scenario where inspecting methods and properties at runtime would be helpful.

Consider situations where you don’t know all types before running the program.