Home / Forums / How do C# Source Generators work and how can I build one? [Discussion #9]

UnreliableCode Community

Developer Research, Reverse Engineering & Coding Community

Subforums Leaderboard Log In to Post
Question

How do C# Source Generators work and how can I build one? [Discussion #9]

DarkLogic
Game Logic & SDK Developer
MEMBER
Rep: 180
Join Date: Jun 2024
Posts: 28
Thanks: 41
3y ago · Sep 16, 2022 3:24 PM
#1
I want to write a source generator that scans classes for a custom attribute and automatically generates serialization boilerplate. Where do I start?
DarkLogic | Virtual method tables & SDKs
The following users thanked DarkLogic for this post:
ApexPredator_
Source Engine Modder
VIP
Rep: 340
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 23
Thanks: 88
3y ago · Sep 16, 2022 4:34 PM
#2
Source Generators hook into the Roslyn compiler via ISourceGenerator or IIncrementalGenerator (preferred in modern .NET). IIncrementalGenerator caches syntax node inputs so it only re-generates code when files with your attribute actually change!
ApexPredator_ · Source Engine Specialist
BoneMatrix_
CS2 & Skeleton Math
MEMBER
Rep: 190
Join Date: Aug 2024
Posts: 21
Thanks: 47
3y ago · Sep 17, 2022 6:34 PM
#3
Check out the Microsoft.CodeAnalysis.CSharp NuGet package. Incremental generators are blazingly fast and keep IDE typing responsive.
BoneMatrix_ · Source 2 Skeleton ESP & Hitboxes