Explore C# 4's New Dynamic Types and Named/Optional Parameters

# 4.0 includes a number of enhancements and additions, including:

1. Support for dynamic lookup
2. Support for both named and optional parameters
3. Enhanced COM Interop features
4. Support for variance

This article takes a look at the first two items in that list, provides examples, and shows how you can take advantage of them in your applications. A future article covers the last two items.

As you may be able to divine from the terms in the list, some of C#'s new features are tied into Microsoft's new Dynamic Language Runtime (DLR) environment—a new feature of the .NET Framework that enables dynamic languages to reside side-by-side and interoperate with statically typed languages.

Understanding the DLR

The DLR is built on top of the Common Language Runtime (CLR) and opens the door for a common set of technologies and tools to interoperate inside a common framework. Dynamically typed languages such as Python, Ruby, and JavaScript can reside alongside familiar statically typed .NET languages such as C#, Managed C++, and Visual Basic. The CLR provides a common platform where statically typed languages (e.g. C#, VB) can reside and interoperate, while the DLR sits on top of the CLR and provides a common platform for dynamically typed languages to reside and interoperate.

Figure 1. Components of the DLR: The DLR includes a .NET language integration layer, a set of runtime code components, and language binders.

The DLR adds a set of services that facilitate dynamic language implementations on .NET's managed platform. These services include support for a dynamic type system, a standard hosting model, and fast dynamic code generation. In addition, the DLR lets dynamic and static languages interoperate bi-directionally.

To support the DLR, the .NET Framework 4.0 contains a new System.Dynamic namespace. The Dynamic Language Runtime contains three layers (see Figure 1):

1. The .NET Language Integration Layer
2. The Dynamic Language Runtime Code Components
3. Language Binders

The services the DLR provides include:

• Dynamic Method Dispatch
• Dynamic Code Generation
• Hosting API

With that brief introduction to the DLR, you can move on to explore C#'s new features.