When Should You Use Explicit Interface Implementation in C#?

Explicit Interface Implementation and Its Advantages

When working with interfaces in programming, the option of explicit interface implementation may arise. This article delves into the specific advantages of utilizing explicit interface implementation and the scenarios where it proves beneficial.

One common scenario necessitating explicit interface implementation is when two interfaces share the same method but with distinct implementations. In such cases, explicit implementation allows you to override the default behavior and provide separate implementations for each interface.

Consider the following example:

public interface IDoItFast
{
    void Go();
}

public interface IDoItSlow
{
    void Go();
}

public class JustDoIt : IDoItFast, IDoItSlow
{
    void IDoItFast.Go()
    {
        // Fast implementation
    }

    void IDoItSlow.Go()
    {
        // Slow implementation
    }
}

In this example, the JustDoIt class implements both IDoItFast and IDoItSlow interfaces, which define the same Go() method. By implementing the Go() method explicitly for each interface using IDoItFast.Go() and IDoItSlow.Go(), the class can provide alternative implementations for each interface.

In essence, explicit interface implementation allows you to maintain clear separation between the interface that a class implements and the actual implementation details. It simplifies the process of implementing multiple interfaces with shared method signatures, ensuring that the correct implementation is executed for each intended interface.

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