Can lambda be used without Linq?

Question

I would prefer not to use Linq if I don't need it (I delete links to it when starting a new project). However, Lambdas is useful. I'm not going to get used to using lambda, however, if Link needs to tag it for a ride.

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

Lambdas can be used whenever you want. This is a new language feature. Linq uses them, but you do not need to use linq.

Action blah = () => { System.Console.WriteLine("Hello World!"); } blah(); // will write Hello World! to the console 

Answer 2

Lambda expressions are completely LINQ independent. In fact, you can use them when targeting a .NET 2.0 project from VS2008 or VS2010. Similarly, if you are using .NET 3.5, you can use expression trees without using LINQ - although this is less common in my experience.

However, I urge you not to avoid LINQ - it is a very powerful tool. I personally am a little afraid of LINQ providers who need to translate through Queryable - it's harder to predict, but LINQ to Objects is pure gold. What do you dislike about this? Note that you do not need to use query expressions to use LINQ - you can write queries in "dot notation" using lambda expressions:

 var query = people.Where(p => p.Age >= 18) .Select(p => p.Name); 

... so if query expressions have disabled you, you don’t need to worry about them.

EDIT: just to meet a comment on the question itself - you can use LINQ to Objects with .NET 2.0 through the LINQBridge project.

Answer 3

It is important to understand where lambda expressions come from and why they are used. It is true that most people hear about lambdas through LINQ, but LINQ just implements a feature that was introduced in version 3.0 of C # as a successor (I think) to anonymous methods.

Lambdas are actually used with delegate , and when you use lambda, what you actually do is assign a delegate method. However, you can avoid using the delegate keyword because the compiler can conclude that you are using delegate simply because you are using a lambda expression.

So the same thing:

 MyDel del = delegate (int x) {return x + 1;} ; // Using an anonymous method MyDel le1 = x => x + 1; // Using a lambda expression 

Keep in mind that the delegate does not execute its methods until it is called. That way, even if you see x => x + 1 in your lambda expression, this actually does not work until you call le1(someInt) . You may have seen this in LINQ, where the request is not executed until the delegate is called.

In short (and I don't know, for my brevity), lambda allows you to express a method call in short form without having to declare it in the body of your class.

My source for this answer is if from Daniel Solis' Illustrated C # 2008 , pp. 375-377.

Answer 4

No, you can use lambdas just like anonymous methods, LINQ is not required.

Answer 5

Lambdas can absolutely be used without linq, I do this all the time. Here is an example of code that I posted elsewhere that uses lambda without links in the field of view.