How Does Assembly Binding Redirect Resolve Version Conflicts in .NET Applications?

Assembly Binding Redirect: Comprehension and Implementation

Assembly binding redirect is a mechanism used to resolve conflicts that arise when different assemblies in an application reference multiple versions of the same library. This can occur when a library is updated and an application is dependent on both the old and new versions.

Major Version Redirection

Binding redirects typically specify only the major version of the assembly, disregarding minor, build, and revision numbers. This is because the compatibility of an assembly is generally not affected by these subordinate version numbers. As long as the major version remains the same, the assembly's functionality is assumed to be equivalent.

Version Change Frequency

The old and new versions in a binding redirect change only when there is a change in the major version. This is because minor, build, and revision numbers typically represent bug fixes or performance optimizations that do not affect the assembly's overall functionality.

Example

Consider the following binding redirect:

<dependentAssembly>
    <assemblyIdentity name="FooBar"
                      publicKeyToken="32ab4ba45e0a69a1"
                      culture="en-us" />

    <bindingRedirect oldVersion="7.0.0.0" newVersion="8.0.0.0" />
</dependentAssembly>

This binding redirect instructs the application to load version 8.0.0.0 of the FooBar assembly instead of version 7.0.0.0, even if the application references the older version. This redirection occurs regardless of the minor, build, or revision numbers of the assembly versions involved.

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