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In C#, delegation refers to the practice of assigning the responsibility for a particular

task or operation to another object or method. Delegation is often used to achieve


flexibility and maintainability in your code by allowing you to change the behavior of a
class without modifying its source code directly. This concept is closely related to the
use of delegates, events, and anonymous methods in C#. Here's an overview of how
delegation works in C#:

1. Delegates:
 A delegate is a type that represents a method signature, allowing you to
define a reference to a method.
 Delegates can be used to encapsulate methods and pass them as
parameters to other methods or store them in data structures.
 They provide a way to achieve callback mechanisms, dynamic method
invocation, and event handling in C#.
2. Defining a Delegate:
 You can define a delegate using the delegate keyword, specifying the return
type and parameter list that match the delegate's method signature.
 For example:
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delegate int MathOperation(int x, int y) ;
3. Using Delegates:
 You can create instances of delegates and assign them to methods that
match their signature.
 You can invoke the delegate, which, in turn, calls the assigned method.
 Example:
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MathOperation add = (x, y) => x + y; MathOperation subtract = (x, y) => x - y; int result1 =
add ( 5 , 3 ); // Invokes the 'add' delegate. int result2 = subtract( 8 , 2 ); // Invokes the 'subtract'
delegate.
4. Delegation in Event Handling:
 Delegates are commonly used in event handling in C#.
 Events are essentially a way to encapsulate delegates, allowing multiple
subscribers (methods) to be notified when an event occurs.
 Example:
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public class Button { public event EventHandler Click; public void OnClick()
{ Click?.Invoke( this , EventArgs.Empty); } } // Subscribing to the event button.Click += (sender,
args) => Console.WriteLine( "Button clicked!" );
5. Anonymous Methods and Lambda Expressions:
 C# provides anonymous methods and lambda expressions, which simplify
delegate usage by allowing you to define inline, anonymous functions.
 They are often used with delegates for concise code.
 Example:
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MathOperation multiply = (x, y) => x * y;

Delegation and delegates are fundamental concepts in C# that enable a wide range of
programming patterns, including event-driven programming and callback mechanisms.
They provide a powerful way to separate concerns and make your code more modular
and maintainable.

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