LINQ Interview Question #17

What is an anonymous type and how is it used with LINQ?

LINQ Fundamentals, Syntax, IEnumerable & IQueryable Junior Beginner

Quick Interview Answer

An anonymous type is a compiler-generated type created with the new { ... } syntax without explicitly declaring a class. It is useful for local projections where a temporary strongly typed shape is sufficient.

Detailed Explanation

An anonymous type is a compiler-generated type created with the new { ... } syntax without explicitly declaring a class. It is useful for local projections where a temporary strongly typed shape is sufficient.

Anonymous types are normally limited to the method or local context where their inferred type is available. Public application boundaries generally use named DTOs or view models instead.

Code Example

var result = products.Select(p => new
{
    ProductName = p.Name,
    FinalPrice = p.Price * 1.18m
});