Understanding and using delegates in C# - Part I

Delegate is a type that defines a method signature. It is also an object that receives that method as parameter when constructed and then call's that method to do some operation.

The definition of delegate

// Define delegate
public delegate int MathematicalOperation(int numberA, int numberB);

And that's it! Delegate is defined!

Based on that definition, we create two methods that do the real operations: add's and subtract's two numbers. The most important things when defining these methods that will be passed to delegate as parameter is that they have:

• same return type
• parameters with same name and type

Operational methods (delegate parameters)

Well, there is nothing mutch to be said in here - these are method's that do two most basic mathematical operation's.

/// <summary>
/// Normal function that ADD's two numbers
/// </summary>
public static int Add(int numberA, int numberB)
{
    return numberA + numberB;
}
 
/// <summary>
/// Normal function that SUBTRACT's two numbers
/// </summary>
public static int Subtract(int numberA, int numberB)
{
    return numberA - numberB;
}

Combine DELEGATE & METHODS

And, here is the sample how to use delegates:

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    // Instantiate the delegate, and define in constructor which method will be called later...
    // Or you can even write: "MathematicalOperation mathOperation = Add;"
    MathematicalOperation mathOperation = new MathematicalOperation(Add);

    // Call the delegate as object with "mathOperation(3, 5)"
    Console.WriteLine(string.Format("Add: {0}", mathOperation(3, 5))); // Add: 8



    // Define another method "Subtract" that will be called instead of first one...
    mathOperation = new MathematicalOperation(Subtract);

    // Call the delegate as object with "mathOperation(4, 9)"
    Console.WriteLine(string.Format("Subtract: {0}", mathOperation(4, 9))); // Subtract: -5


    // Just pause the app...
    Console.ReadKey();
}

This is the most basic sample, how the delegates are defined and used.

In the next article (part II), I will write how the delegates are used in real world situations!