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Code-style rule options

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You can define and maintain consistent code style in your codebase by defining .NET code-style rules and their associated options in a configuration file. These rules are surfaced by various development IDEs, such as Visual Studio, as you edit your code. For .NET projects, these rules can also be enforced at build time. You can enable or disable individual rules and configure the degree to which you want each rule enforced, via a severity level.

Tip

  • When you define code style options in an EditorConfig file, you're configuring how you want the code style analyzers to analyze your code. The EditorConfig file is the configuration file for these analyzers.
  • Code style options can also be set in Visual Studio in the Text editor options dialog. These are per-user options that are only respected while editing in Visual Studio. These options are not respected at build time or by other IDEs. Additionally, if the project or solution opened inside Visual Studio has an EditorConfig file, then options from the EditorConfig file take precedence. In Visual Studio on Windows, you can also generate an EditorConfig file from your text-editor options. Select Tools > Options > Text Editor > [C# or Basic] > Code Style > General, and then click Generate .editorconfig file from settings. For more information, see Code style preferences.

Code style rules are divided into following subcategories:

Each of these subcategories defines its own syntax for specifying options. For more information about these rules and the corresponding options, see Code-style rule reference.

Example EditorConfig file

To help you get started, here's an example .editorconfig file with the default options.

Note

If you're using .NET 8 or an earlier version, the syntax that's used to specify severity in this example file might not be respected at build time. In that case, you can set the severity by using the rule ID-based severity configuration syntax for analyzers instead. For more information, see Option format.

Tip

  • In Visual Studio, you can add the following default .NET .editorconfig file to your project from the Add New Item dialog box. For detailed steps, see Add and remove EditorConfig files.
  • For Visual Studio Code, you can use the EditorConfig for VS Code plugin to override user/workspace settings with settings found in .editorconfig files.
# Remove the line below if you want to inherit .editorconfig settings from higher directories
root = true

# C# files
[*.cs]

#### Core EditorConfig Options ####

# Indentation and spacing
indent_size = 4
indent_style = space
tab_width = 4

# New line preferences
end_of_line = crlf
insert_final_newline = false

#### .NET Coding Conventions ####

# Organize usings
dotnet_separate_import_directive_groups = false
dotnet_sort_system_directives_first = false
file_header_template = unset

# this. and Me. preferences
dotnet_style_qualification_for_event = false
dotnet_style_qualification_for_field = false
dotnet_style_qualification_for_method = false
dotnet_style_qualification_for_property = false

# Language keywords vs BCL types preferences
dotnet_style_predefined_type_for_locals_parameters_members = true
dotnet_style_predefined_type_for_member_access = true

# Parentheses preferences
dotnet_style_parentheses_in_arithmetic_binary_operators = always_for_clarity
dotnet_style_parentheses_in_other_binary_operators = always_for_clarity
dotnet_style_parentheses_in_other_operators = never_if_unnecessary
dotnet_style_parentheses_in_relational_binary_operators = always_for_clarity

# Modifier preferences
dotnet_style_require_accessibility_modifiers = for_non_interface_members

# Expression-level preferences
dotnet_style_coalesce_expression = true
dotnet_style_collection_initializer = true
dotnet_style_explicit_tuple_names = true
dotnet_style_namespace_match_folder = true
dotnet_style_null_propagation = true
dotnet_style_object_initializer = true
dotnet_style_operator_placement_when_wrapping = beginning_of_line
dotnet_style_prefer_auto_properties = true
dotnet_style_prefer_collection_expression = when_types_loosely_match
dotnet_style_prefer_compound_assignment = true
dotnet_style_prefer_conditional_expression_over_assignment = true
dotnet_style_prefer_conditional_expression_over_return = true
dotnet_style_prefer_foreach_explicit_cast_in_source = when_strongly_typed
dotnet_style_prefer_inferred_anonymous_type_member_names = true
dotnet_style_prefer_inferred_tuple_names = true
dotnet_style_prefer_is_null_check_over_reference_equality_method = true
dotnet_style_prefer_simplified_boolean_expressions = true
dotnet_style_prefer_simplified_interpolation = true

# Field preferences
dotnet_style_readonly_field = true

# Parameter preferences
dotnet_code_quality_unused_parameters = all:silent

# Suppression preferences
dotnet_remove_unnecessary_suppression_exclusions = none

# New line preferences
dotnet_style_allow_multiple_blank_lines_experimental = true
dotnet_style_allow_statement_immediately_after_block_experimental = true

#### C# Coding Conventions ####

# var preferences
csharp_style_var_elsewhere = false
csharp_style_var_for_built_in_types = false
csharp_style_var_when_type_is_apparent = false

# Expression-bodied members
csharp_style_expression_bodied_accessors = true
csharp_style_expression_bodied_constructors = false
csharp_style_expression_bodied_indexers = true
csharp_style_expression_bodied_lambdas = true
csharp_style_expression_bodied_local_functions = false
csharp_style_expression_bodied_methods = false
csharp_style_expression_bodied_operators = false
csharp_style_expression_bodied_properties = true

# Pattern matching preferences
csharp_style_pattern_matching_over_as_with_null_check = true
csharp_style_pattern_matching_over_is_with_cast_check = true
csharp_style_prefer_extended_property_pattern = true
csharp_style_prefer_not_pattern = true
csharp_style_prefer_pattern_matching = true
csharp_style_prefer_switch_expression = true

# Null-checking preferences
csharp_style_conditional_delegate_call = true

# Modifier preferences
csharp_prefer_static_local_function = true
csharp_preferred_modifier_order = public,private,protected,internal,file,static,extern,new,virtual,abstract,sealed,override,readonly,unsafe,required,volatile,async
csharp_style_prefer_readonly_struct = true
csharp_style_prefer_readonly_struct_member = true

# Code-block preferences
csharp_prefer_braces = true
csharp_prefer_simple_using_statement = true
csharp_style_namespace_declarations = block_scoped
csharp_style_prefer_method_group_conversion = true
csharp_style_prefer_primary_constructors = true
csharp_style_prefer_top_level_statements = true

# Expression-level preferences
csharp_prefer_simple_default_expression = true
csharp_style_deconstructed_variable_declaration = true
csharp_style_implicit_object_creation_when_type_is_apparent = true
csharp_style_inlined_variable_declaration = true
csharp_style_prefer_index_operator = true
csharp_style_prefer_local_over_anonymous_function = true
csharp_style_prefer_null_check_over_type_check = true
csharp_style_prefer_range_operator = true
csharp_style_prefer_tuple_swap = true
csharp_style_prefer_utf8_string_literals = true
csharp_style_throw_expression = true
csharp_style_unused_value_assignment_preference = discard_variable
csharp_style_unused_value_expression_statement_preference = discard_variable

# 'using' directive preferences
csharp_using_directive_placement = outside_namespace

# New line preferences
csharp_style_allow_blank_line_after_colon_in_constructor_initializer_experimental = true
csharp_style_allow_blank_line_after_token_in_arrow_expression_clause_experimental = true
csharp_style_allow_blank_line_after_token_in_conditional_expression_experimental = true
csharp_style_allow_blank_lines_between_consecutive_braces_experimental = true
csharp_style_allow_embedded_statements_on_same_line_experimental = true

#### C# Formatting Rules ####

# New line preferences
csharp_new_line_before_catch = true
csharp_new_line_before_else = true
csharp_new_line_before_finally = true
csharp_new_line_before_members_in_anonymous_types = true
csharp_new_line_before_members_in_object_initializers = true
csharp_new_line_before_open_brace = all
csharp_new_line_between_query_expression_clauses = true

# Indentation preferences
csharp_indent_block_contents = true
csharp_indent_braces = false
csharp_indent_case_contents = true
csharp_indent_case_contents_when_block = true
csharp_indent_labels = one_less_than_current
csharp_indent_switch_labels = true

# Space preferences
csharp_space_after_cast = false
csharp_space_after_colon_in_inheritance_clause = true
csharp_space_after_comma = true
csharp_space_after_dot = false
csharp_space_after_keywords_in_control_flow_statements = true
csharp_space_after_semicolon_in_for_statement = true
csharp_space_around_binary_operators = before_and_after
csharp_space_around_declaration_statements = false
csharp_space_before_colon_in_inheritance_clause = true
csharp_space_before_comma = false
csharp_space_before_dot = false
csharp_space_before_open_square_brackets = false
csharp_space_before_semicolon_in_for_statement = false
csharp_space_between_empty_square_brackets = false
csharp_space_between_method_call_empty_parameter_list_parentheses = false
csharp_space_between_method_call_name_and_opening_parenthesis = false
csharp_space_between_method_call_parameter_list_parentheses = false
csharp_space_between_method_declaration_empty_parameter_list_parentheses = false
csharp_space_between_method_declaration_name_and_open_parenthesis = false
csharp_space_between_method_declaration_parameter_list_parentheses = false
csharp_space_between_parentheses = false
csharp_space_between_square_brackets = false

# Wrapping preferences
csharp_preserve_single_line_blocks = true
csharp_preserve_single_line_statements = true

#### Naming styles ####

# Naming rules

dotnet_naming_rule.interface_should_be_begins_with_i.severity = suggestion
dotnet_naming_rule.interface_should_be_begins_with_i.symbols = interface
dotnet_naming_rule.interface_should_be_begins_with_i.style = begins_with_i

dotnet_naming_rule.types_should_be_pascal_case.severity = suggestion
dotnet_naming_rule.types_should_be_pascal_case.symbols = types
dotnet_naming_rule.types_should_be_pascal_case.style = pascal_case

dotnet_naming_rule.non_field_members_should_be_pascal_case.severity = suggestion
dotnet_naming_rule.non_field_members_should_be_pascal_case.symbols = non_field_members
dotnet_naming_rule.non_field_members_should_be_pascal_case.style = pascal_case

# Symbol specifications

dotnet_naming_symbols.interface.applicable_kinds = interface
dotnet_naming_symbols.interface.applicable_accessibilities = public, internal, private, protected, protected_internal, private_protected
dotnet_naming_symbols.interface.required_modifiers = 

dotnet_naming_symbols.types.applicable_kinds = class, struct, interface, enum
dotnet_naming_symbols.types.applicable_accessibilities = public, internal, private, protected, protected_internal, private_protected
dotnet_naming_symbols.types.required_modifiers = 

dotnet_naming_symbols.non_field_members.applicable_kinds = property, event, method
dotnet_naming_symbols.non_field_members.applicable_accessibilities = public, internal, private, protected, protected_internal, private_protected
dotnet_naming_symbols.non_field_members.required_modifiers = 

# Naming styles

dotnet_naming_style.pascal_case.required_prefix = 
dotnet_naming_style.pascal_case.required_suffix = 
dotnet_naming_style.pascal_case.word_separator = 
dotnet_naming_style.pascal_case.capitalization = pascal_case

dotnet_naming_style.begins_with_i.required_prefix = I
dotnet_naming_style.begins_with_i.required_suffix = 
dotnet_naming_style.begins_with_i.word_separator = 
dotnet_naming_style.begins_with_i.capitalization = pascal_case

See also