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POCan't operator == be applied to generic types in C#?
 

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  1. POCan't operator == be applied to generic types in C#?
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    <p>According to the documentation of the <code>==</code> operator in <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/53k8ybth.aspx" rel="noreferrer">MSDN</a>, </p> <blockquote> <p>For predefined value types, the equality operator (==) returns true if the values of its operands are equal, false otherwise. For reference types other than string, == returns true if its two operands refer to the same object. For the string type, == compares the values of the strings. User-defined value types can overload the == operator (see operator). So can user-defined reference types, although <strong>by default == behaves as described above for both predefined and user-defined reference types.</strong></p> </blockquote> <p>So why does this code snippet fail to compile?</p> <pre><code>bool Compare&lt;T&gt;(T x, T y) { return x == y; } </code></pre> <p>I get the error <em>Operator '==' cannot be applied to operands of type 'T' and 'T'</em>. I wonder why, since as far as I understand the <code>==</code> operator is predefined for all types?</p> <p><strong>Edit:</strong> Thanks, everybody. I didn't notice at first that the statement was about reference types only. I also thought that bit-by-bit comparison is provided for all value types, which I now know is <em>not</em> correct.</p> <p>But, in case I'm using a reference type, would the <code>==</code> operator use the predefined reference comparison, or would it use the overloaded version of the operator if a type defined one?</p> <p><strong>Edit 2:</strong> Through trial and error, we learned that the <code>==</code> operator will use the predefined reference comparison when using an unrestricted generic type. Actually, the compiler will use the best method it can find for the restricted type argument, but will look no further. For example, the code below will always print <code>true</code>, even when <code>Test.test&lt;B&gt;(new B(), new B())</code> is called:</p> <pre><code>class A { public static bool operator==(A x, A y) { return true; } } class B : A { public static bool operator==(B x, B y) { return false; } } class Test { void test&lt;T&gt;(T a, T b) where T : A { Console.WriteLine(a == b); } } </code></pre>
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    1. USHosam Aly
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      1. USCharles Graham
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    1. COSee my answer again for the answer to your followup question.
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      1. POCan't operator == be applied to generic types in C#?
      1. USGiovanni Galbo
    2. COIt might be useful to understand that even without generics, there are some types for which the `==` is not allowed between two operands of the same type. This is true for `struct` types (except "pre-defined" types) which do not overload the `operator ==`. As a simple example, try this: `var map = typeof(string).GetInterfaceMap(typeof(ICloneable)); Console.WriteLine(map == map); /* compile-time error */`
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      1. USJeppe Stig Nielsen
 

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