Method chaining

As explained in .NET in Action, Second Edition

Method chaining is a programming style in which successive method calls are applied to the object returned by the preceding call.

using HelloDotnet;
using CommandLine;                                          #1
  
Parser.Default.ParseArguments<Options>(args)                #2
  .WithParsed<Options>(AsciiArt.Write)                      #3
  .WithNotParsed(_ =>                                       #4
    WriteLine("Usage: HelloDotnet <text> --font Big"));     #5

How .NET in Action, Second Edition covers it

How deep it goes

Explains return-value flow and conditional execution, with a focused C# implementation rather than general chaining internals.

Examples

Demonstrates ParseArguments followed by WithParsed and WithNotParsed in a console application.

What it assumes

Assumes familiarity with C# method calls, delegates, and generic methods while demonstrating lambda callbacks in context.

What you can do after

Apply it via CommandLineParser to route successful and unsuccessful parsing results through concise callback chains.

How it connects

Connects method chaining with extension methods, lambda expressions, anonymous functions, and command-line parsing.

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Also explained in

• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  The Well-Grounded Rubyist, Fourth EditionA method chain is a sequence in which the result of one method call becomes the receiver of a subsequent method call.
• 

  liveBookmanning.com
  D3.js in Action, Third EditionMethod chaining is a programming technique in which successive method calls operate on and return an updated object through a linked call sequence.

Compare how 3 books explain method chaining →

Related concepts

• fluent interfaceused by · A fluent interface is an API design style in which operations return objects or values that enable readable chaining of subsequent calls.
• with_indexuses · with_index is a Ruby Enumerable and Enumerator method that supplies each yielded element with a sequential numeric index as an additional block argument.
• Kernelused by · Kernel is Ruby's built-in module containing fundamental methods that are available to Object instances through inclusion in Object.
• extensionused by · An extension is a language feature that adds functionality to an existing type without modifying its original definition.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of .NET in Action, Second Edition. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.