LINQ and Entity Framework are both commonly used in the .Net ecosystem, but even well-written applications can have LINQ queries that are difficult to understand. Because LINQ is so flexible, it can be written in ways that fail to communicate the developer’s intent. Well-written LINQ should be so clear as to be self-documenting. To write clear LINQ, it helps to understand the details of a few LINQ components that improve LINQ’s readability.

1. Giving Clarity to LINQ Queries
by Extending Expressions

2. Are
Do you use
expressions?

3. Entity Framework & LINQ
Expression<Func<TModel, bool>>
People.Where(p => p.Title == “Developer”)

4. Automapper
Expression<Func<TSource, object>>
AutoMapper.Mapper.CreateMap<Post, BlogPostView>()
.ForMember(dest => dest.Heading,
opts => opts.MapFrom(src => src.Title));

5. HTML Helpers
Expression<Func<TModel, TResult>>
@Html.LabelFor(obj => obj.Prop)

6. Telerik Data Grid
@(Html.Kendo().Grid<Post>
.Columns(columns => {
columns.Bound(p => p.Title);
columns.Bound(p => p.Author);
columns.Bound(p => p.Pubished);
})
)

7. Expressions in C#
• Representation of code as data
• Meta-programming
– Analyze, rewrite, and translate code at runtime

8. Homo-iconicity
Same syntax for executable code as data representation
1 //Executable representation
2 Func<int, int> plusOne = n => n + 1;
3
4 //Data representation
5 Expression<Func<int, int>> plusOne = n => n + 1;

9. Homo-iconicity
Same syntax for executable code as data representation
1 //Executable representation
2 Func<int, int> plusOne = n => n + 1;
3
4 //Data representation
5 Expression<Func<int, int>> plusOne = n => n + 1;

10. Expression Factory
1 // new Expression() invalid!
2
3 var x = Expression.Constant(1);
1
constant

11. Expression Factory
1 // new Expression() invalid!
2
3 var x = Expression.Constant(1);
4 var y = Expression.Constant(1);
1
constant
1
constant

12. Expression Factory
1 // new Expression() invalid!
2
3 var x = Expression.Constant(1);
4 var y = Expression.Constant(1);
5 var sum = Expression.Add(x,y); +
11
Add
constant constant

13. Expression Factory
1 // new Expression() invalid!
2
3 var x = Expression.Constant(1);
4 var y = Expression.Constant(1);
5 var sum = Expression.Add(x,y);
6
7 Console.WriteLine(sum);
8 // (1 + 1)
9
10 Console.WriteLine(sum.GetType());
11 // SimpleBinaryExpression
+
11
Add
constant constant
SimpleBinaryExpression

14. Compile
1 Expression<Func<int, int>> plusOne = n => n + 1;
2 Console.WriteLine(plusOne.ToString());
3 // n => (n + 1)

15. Compile
1 Expression<Func<int, int>> plusOne = n => n + 1;
2 Console.WriteLine(plusOne.ToString());
3 // n => (n + 1)
4
5 var x = plusOne.Compile();
6 Console.WriteLine(x(1));
7 // 2

16. Runtime Modification
ExpressionVisitor
• used to traverse or rewrite expression trees
• Abstract class
– Inherit and override
• .Visit(expression)
– Recursively walks the tree
– Returns an Expression
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb882521(v=vs.90).aspx

17. Are
OMG He’s
showing docs
in a
presentation

18. Are
How is this
useful?

19. Pipeline
Pipes and filters
Filter
Rule Rule
Data
Data
Data
Consumer
Results
Database Filter
Rule Rule
dbContext.Where(rule).Where(rule)

20. Maintainability & Readability

21. Refactoring
What’s
going
on here?
1 postRepository.GetAll()
2 .Where(post => post.IsPublished &&
3 post.PostedOn <= today &&
4 (post.PostedOn >= cutoffDate ||
5 post.Author == featuredAuthor &&
6 post.PostedOn >= featuredAuthorCutoffDate));

22. Let’s start simple
What’s
going on
here?
1 postRepository.GetAll()
2 .Where(post => post.IsPublished && post.PostedOn <= today);

23. Distinction
The tale of two extension methods
IEnumerable.Where(q => q.Value == true)
Function delegate
Func<T, bool>
IQueryable.Where(q => q.Value == true)
Expression
Expression<Func<T, bool>

24. LINQ Where Chaining
1 //Both statements produce the same result
2
3 //Concise
4 var query = query.Where(x => x.Value == 1 && x.Name == ”foo”);
5
6 //Configurable
7 var query = query.Where(x => x.Value == 1)
8 .Where(x => x.Name == ”foo”);
SELECT x
FROM table
WHERE (value = 1 AND name = ‘foo’)

25. LINQ Where Chaining
1 var query = query.Where(x => x.Value == 1);
SELECT x
FROM table
WHERE (value = 1)
=>
x
==
value 1

26. LINQ Where Chaining
1 var query = query.Where(x => x.Value == 1)
2 .Where(x => x.Name == ”foo”);
SELECT x
FROM table
WHERE (value = 1 AND name = ‘foo’)
&&
=>
x
==
name foo
==
value 1

27. LINQ Where Chaining
1 var query = query.Where(x => x.Value == 1);
2 query.Where(x => x.Name == ”foo”);
3 query.Where(x => x.IsDeleted == ”true”);
SELECT x
FROM table
WHERE (value = 1 AND name = ‘foo’ AND IsDeleted = 1)
&&
=>
x
==
name foo
==
value 1
&&
==
isDeleted
1

28. Custom Filters
Extends type
IQueryable<MyType>
Return type
IQueryable<MyType>
Method
.CustomMethodName()
public static IQueryable<Post> ArePublished(this IQueryable<Post> posts)
{
return posts.Where(post => post.IsPublished);
}

29. 1 postRepository.GetAll()
2 .Where(post => post.IsPublished &&
3 post.PostedOn <= today);
Readability?
Before After
What’s
the
intent?
1 postRepository.GetAll()
2 .ArePublished()
3 .PostedOnOrBefore(today);

30. Now what?
What’s
the
intent?
1 IQueryable<Post> posts = postRepository.GetAll()
2 .Where(post => post.IsPublished && post.PostedOn <= today &&
3 (post.PostedOn >= cutoffDate || post.Author == featuredAuthor &&
4 post.PostedOn >= featuredAuthorCutoffDate));

31. Lambda as an Expression tree
post => post.PostedOn >= cutoffDate
>=
cutoffDatePostedOn
GreaterThanOrEqual
=>
post
Lambda
parameter
parameter constant
Body

32. Lambda as an Expression tree
post => post.PostedOn >= cutoffDate
>=
cutoffDatePostedOn
GreaterThanOrEqual
=>
post
Lambda
parameter
parameter constant
Body

33. Lambda as an Expression tree
post => post.PostedOn >= cutoffDate
>=
cutoffDatePostedOn
GreaterThanOrEqual
=>
post
Lambda
parameter
parameter constant
Body

34. Combine Like Expressions?
>=
=>
post
Body
==
=>
post
Body
AND / OR?

35. CombineLambdas
>=
constantPost.Property
=>
post
Body
==
constantPost.Property
=>
post
Body
AND / OR?
CombineLambdas(left, right, ExpressionType.AndAlso)

36. Get Paramters
>=
constantPost.Property
=>
post
Body
==
constantPost.Property
=>
post
Body
SubstituteParameterVisitor(left.Parameters[0], right.Parameters[0])

37. Replace Parameters
>=
constantPost.Property
Body
==
constantPost.Property
post
Body
post
Post.Property
SubstitutionVisitor.VisitParameter

38. Combined Expressions
=>
post
Lambda
parameter
Body
>=
&&
==
Expression.MakeBinary
Expression.Lambda<Func<T, bool>>

39. Readability?
Before
After
1 postRepository.GetAll()
2 .Where(post => post.IsPublished && post.PostedOn <= today &&
3 (post.PostedOn >= cutoffDate || post.Author == featuredAuthor &&
4 post.PostedOn >= featuredAuthorCutoffDate));
1 postRepository.GetAll()
2 .ArePublished()
3 .PostedOnOrBefore(today)
4 .Where(PostedOnOrAfter(cutoffDate)
5 .Or(FeaturedAuthorPostedrOnOrAfter(featuredAuthor,featuredAuthorCutoffDate)));

40. New Requirements!
Now we must support multiple featured authors
Dynamic
LINQ query?
No problem, now we’re equipped for it!

41. Dynamic Queries
Try this without expressions.
1 var rule = PredicateExtensions.PredicateExtensions.Begin<Post>();
2 foreach (var authorName in featuredAuthorNames)
3 {
4 rule = rule.Or(FeaturedAuthorPostedOnOrAfter(authorName, featuredAuthorCutoffDate));
5 }
6 return rule;

42. Dynamic Expression
Left
Body.NodeType == ExpressionType.Constant
Right
if (IsExpressionBodyConstant(left)) return (right);
>=
constantPost.Property
=>
post
Body
bool true

43. Are
Questions?

44. Ed Charbeneau
Developer Advocate for Progress<Telerik>
Author<T>
Podcast => “Eat Sleep Code the Official Telerik Podcast”
Twitter.Where(user = @EdCharbeneau)

45. Resources
• Article
– https://goo.gl/kAM05P
• GitHub
– https://github.com/EdCharbeneau/PredicateExtensions
• Telerik
– www.Telerik.com
• Twitter
– @EdCharbeneau