dotnet / dotnet/dotnet-api-docs
Misleading remarks on IEquatable<T> Interface
- Dominant language
- C#
- Stars
- 949
- Forks
- 1.7k
- Avg merge
- 3d 27m
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 49
Description
Hello,
I found the [remarks of the IEquatable Interface](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.iequatable-1?view=net-8.0#remarks) misleading:
_The IEquatable interface is used by generic collection objects such as Dictionary, List, and LinkedList when testing for equality in such methods as Contains, IndexOf, LastIndexOf, and Remove. **It should be implemented for any object that might be stored in a generic collection**._
I'm missing the hint, that this is not true for immutable reference types, as mentioned in the _Guidelines for reference types_ from [Supplemental API remparks > Equals method](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/fundamentals/runtime-libraries/system-object-equals):
_**You should not override Equals on a mutable reference type.** This is because overriding Equals requires that you also override the GetHashCode method, as discussed in the previous section. This means that the hash code of an instance of a mutable reference type can change during its lifetime, which can cause the object to be lost in a hash table._
I have a "data" class which is mutable and will be stored in List collections. Following the remark on the IEquatable documentation:
_... It should be implemented for any object that might be stored in a generic collection ..._
I implemented the IEquatable interface for class. The [CA1067](https://learn.microsoft.com/de-de/dotnet/fundamentals/code-analysis/quality-rules/ca1067) and the [Notes to Implementers](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.iequatable-1?view=net-8.0#notes-to-implementers):
_... If you implement IEquatable, you should also override the base class implementations of Equals(Object) and GetHashCode() ..._
forces me to override also the Equals(Object) and GetHashCode(). But digging deeper, I found that this should only be done for immutable data.
A hint in the remarks of the IEquatable interface would have saved me a lot of time. (Good, so I have developed a better understanding of Equals ;) )
Contributor guide
Assessment
This issue has not been assessed yet.