Can C# 6.0 Features Work in .NET 4.0 Projects?

Can C# 6.0 features be used in .NET 4.0 projects?

In a recent experiment, we created a sample project that uses C# 6.0 features such as null propagation and property initialization and targets .NET 4.0. Surprisingly, the project ran without any hitches.

Background and Contradiction

This observation contradicts conventional wisdom that .NET 4.6 is the minimum requirement to use C# 6.0. Additionally, the documentation states that .NET 4.0 uses CLR 4, which casts doubt on compatibility with C# 6.0.

Explanation

C# 6.0 relies on the Roslyn compiler, which allows compilation against earlier framework versions. However, this is limited to features that do not require framework support.

For example, string interpolation is compatible with older versions of .NET because it is converted to a string.Format call. However, using IFormattable requires .NET 4.6 because the necessary System.FormattableString class is only available in that version.

Suitability of the features in question

Null propagation and property initialization used in the experiment do not require framework support. Therefore, even without official support from Microsoft, the compiler will be able to implement them in .NET 4.0 projects.

Limitations

It should be noted that this compatibility is limited to features that do not require framework support. When using C# 6.0 features that require framework support, you will need to upgrade to at least .NET 4.6.

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