Type.IsSubclassOf(Type) Method

Definition

Namespace:

System

Assembly:

System.Runtime.dll

Source:

Type.Helpers.cs

Determines whether the current Type derives from the specified Type.

public:
 virtual bool IsSubclassOf(Type ^ c);

public virtual bool IsSubclassOf (Type c);

abstract member IsSubclassOf : Type -> bool
override this.IsSubclassOf : Type -> bool

Public Overridable Function IsSubclassOf (c As Type) As Boolean

Parameters

c

Type

The type to compare with the current type.

Returns

Boolean

true if the current Type derives from c; otherwise, false. This method also returns false if c and the current Type are equal.

Exceptions

ArgumentNullException

c is null.

Examples

The following example creates a class named Class1 and a derived class named DerivedC1. It calls the IsSubclassOf method to show that DerivedC1 is a subclass of Class1.

using System;

public class Class1 { }
public class DerivedC1 : Class1 { }

class IsSubclassTest
{
   public static void Main()
   {
      Console.WriteLine("DerivedC1 subclass of Class1: {0}",
                         typeof(DerivedC1).IsSubclassOf(typeof(Class1)));
   }
}
// The example displays the following output:
//        DerivedC1 subclass of Class1: True

type Class1() = class end
type DerivedC1() = inherit Class1()

printfn $"DerivedC1 subclass of Class1: {typeof<DerivedC1>.IsSubclassOf typeof<Class1>}"

// The example displays the following output:
//        DerivedC1 subclass of Class1: True

Public Class Class1
End Class

Public Class DerivedC1 : Inherits Class1
End Class

Public Module Example
   Public Sub Main()
      Console.WriteLine("DerivedC1 subclass of Class1: {0}",
                         GetType(DerivedC1).IsSubClassOf(GetType(Class1)))
   End Sub
End Module
' The example displays the following output:
'       DerivedC1 subclass of Class1: True

Remarks

You can call the IsSubclassOf method to determine any of the following:

• Whether one class derives from another.

• Whether a type derives from ValueType. However, the IsValueType is a more efficient way to determine whether a type is a value type.

• Whether a type derives from Enum. However, the IsEnum method is a more efficient way to determine whether a type is an enumeration.

• Whether a type is a delegate, that is, whether it derives from either Delegate or MulticastDelegate.

The IsSubclassOf method cannot be used to determine whether an interface derives from another interface, or whether a class implements an interface. Use the IsAssignableFrom method for that purpose, as the following example shows.

using System;

public interface IInterface
{
   void Display();
}

public class Implementation : IInterface
{
   public void Display()
   {
      Console.WriteLine("The implementation...");
   }
}

public class Example
{
   public static void Main()
   {
      Console.WriteLine("Implementation is a subclass of IInterface:   {0}",
                        typeof(Implementation).IsSubclassOf(typeof(IInterface)));
      Console.WriteLine("IInterface is assignable from Implementation: {0}",
                        typeof(IInterface).IsAssignableFrom(typeof(Implementation)));
   }
}
// The example displays the following output:
//       Implementation is a subclass of IInterface:   False
//       IInterface is assignable from Implementation: True

type IInterface =
    abstract Display : unit -> unit

type Implementation() =
    interface IInterface with
        member _.Display() = printfn "The implementation..."

printfn $"Implementation is a subclass of IInterface:   {typeof<Implementation>.IsSubclassOf typeof<IInterface>}"
printfn $"IInterface is assignable from Implementation: {typeof<IInterface>.IsAssignableFrom typeof<Implementation>}"
// The example displays the following output:
//       Implementation is a subclass of IInterface:   False
//       IInterface is assignable from Implementation: True

Public Interface IInterface
   Sub Display()
End Interface

Public Class Implementation : Implements IInterface
   Public Sub Display() _
      Implements IInterface.Display

      Console.WriteLine("The implementation...")
   End Sub
End Class

Module Example
   Public Sub Main()
      Console.WriteLine("Implementation is a subclass of IInterface:   {0}",
                        GetType(Implementation).IsSubclassOf(GetType(IInterface)))
      Console.WriteLine("IInterface is assignable from Implementation: {0}",
                        GetType(IInterface).IsAssignableFrom(GetType(Implementation)))
   End Sub
End Module
' The example displays the following output:
'       Implementation is a subclass of IInterface:   False
'       IInterface is assignable from Implementation: True

If the current Type represents a type parameter in the definition of a generic type or generic method, it derives from its class constraint or from System.Object if it has no class constraint.

Note

Except when used with interfaces, IsSubclassOf is the converse of IsAssignableFrom. That is, if t1.IsSubclassOf(t2) is true, then t2.IsAssignableFrom(t1) is also true.

This method can be overridden by a derived class.

See also

• BaseType