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Protected Constructors For Abstract Classes

One code modification Resharper 4.0 will suggest is that if a public constructor is located in an abstract class, it should be adjusted to use the protected access modifier if currently public:

Resharper Constructor Protected Constructors For Abstract Classes

So, from this:

PLAIN TEXT

C#:

public abstract class AbstractClass
{
public AbstractClass()
{
}
}

To this:

PLAIN TEXT

C#:

public abstract class AbstractClass
{
protected AbstractClass()
{
}
}

So, why is this a good code edit?

Well, having a public constructor on an abstract class in the terms of code architecture is irrational since the abstract class can’t be instantiated directly; it is instead created by instantiating the deriving type. Thus only derived types have access to the abstract class constructor. Protected more adequately describes a germane access modifier for the constructor as well as ensuring requisite inheritor types have constructor access.

More noticeably, appropriate access modifier decoration will in turn not populate Intellisence with a bunch of useless crap

Article Or Research Filed Under SharePoint| SharePoint Development.

4 Comments »

Did not know about this, great tip
(even though it’s categorized under SharePoint Development. You need a C# category or something )!

Comment by James Fortner — May 12, 2009 @ 8:07 am
Indeed, I did have some abstract classes that were doing this. Fixing em up right now!

Comment by Kirk Kerr — May 12, 2009 @ 8:08 am
I just don’t see why this is important. What are the relevant arguments for an implementation across a whole product for this…improvement.

Comment by James Tyson — May 12, 2009 @ 8:26 am
@James:

What? The justifications you are asking about are located in the article.

Comment by Adam Buenz — May 12, 2009 @ 8:30 am