Title:
Use of LINQ queries in C#

Authors:
James M. Greenwood-Thessman
     Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
     james.greenwood-thessman@ecs.vuw.ac.nz
Michael Homer
     Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
     mwh@ecs.vuw.ac.nz
James Noble
     Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
     kjx@ecs.vuw.ac.nz

Abstract:
Language Integrated Query (LINQ) is an extension to C# that adds a syntax for queries. It is not well understood how LINQ queries are used in practice, nor how the methods that back the queries are used. Not knowing how LINQ is used prevents language designers from judging the merits of including related features in their languages. We analyse the use of LINQ in a selection of 20 popular C# repositories and so far have found that LINQ queries are used in most of the projects analysed and that the backing methods that support the syntax are used significantly more. Currently, we are analysing the ordering of clauses within queries and of LINQ methods in method chains. With a better understanding of how LINQ is used, language designers may be able to incorporate or improve similar features in their languages.