C# order of function modifiers

Question

Hi,

I would like to know if there is a standard to set the order of function modifiers in C#. i.e.

public static void AssignTo(this int me, int value)
{}

static public void AssignTo(this int me, int value)
{}

this both work well, BUT

when I code:

public void static AssignTo(this int me, int value)
{}

I receive the following error:

Member modifier 'static' must precede the member type and name

and

Method must have a return type

Any help/link would be appreciated. TIA.

Answer 1

The problem is that void isn't a modifier - it's the return type. All the modifiers have to come before the return type.

I'm pretty sure there is a convention for the ordering of genuine modifiers, but I don't know where it's documented.

I would always write the accessibility (public etc) first.

Answer 2

Method declarations must always follow this pattern:

[modifiers] returnType methodName([parameters])

There is no rule regarding the order of modifiers, but they must always precede the return type.

I don't think there is any standard order, people just do as they please... Personnally I prefer to put the access modifier (public, private, etc) first, then the static modifier (if any), then the virtual, abstract or override modifier (if applicable).

See the C# spec for details (§10.6)

Answer 3

There is no specific order for method modifiers.

Following is the formal grammar from the C# Standard specification ...

Methods are declared using method-declarations:
method-declaration:
method-header method-body

method-header:
attributes*opt* method-modifiers*opt* partial*opt* return-type member-name type-parameter-list*opt* ( formal-parameter-list*opt* ) type-parameter-constraints-clauses*opt*

*method-modifiers:*
new
public
protected
internal
private
static
virtual
sealed
override
abstract
extern
return-type:
type
void
member-name:
identifier
interface-type . identifier