Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions.SourceGenerator 10.3.0

Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions

A .NET library that uses Roslyn Source Generators, Analyzers, and CodeFixes to give you Smart Enums, Value Objects, and Discriminated Unions with built-in validation, exhaustive pattern matching, and first-class framework integration -- so you write the declaration and the generator handles the boilerplate.

Quick Start

Install-Package Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions

Smart Enums

Type-safe enumerations that go beyond plain enum. Each item can carry its own data and behavior, the generator produces equality, parsing, Switch/Map, and serializer integration automatically.

[SmartEnum<string>]
public partial class ShippingMethod
{
   public static readonly ShippingMethod Standard = new("STANDARD", basePrice: 5.99m, estimatedDays: 5);
   public static readonly ShippingMethod Express = new("EXPRESS", basePrice: 15.99m, estimatedDays: 2);

   public decimal CalculatePrice(decimal weight) => _basePrice + weight;
}

Full documentation -- customization, real-world examples, performance tips, framework integration.

Value Objects

Immutable domain primitives that eliminate primitive obsession. Wrap a single value or multiple properties, add validation, and get factory methods, equality, conversion operators, and serialization for free.

Simple value object

[ValueObject<decimal>]
public partial struct Amount
{
    static partial void ValidateFactoryArguments(ref ValidationError? validationError, ref decimal value)
    {
        if (value < 0)
            validationError = new ValidationError("Amount cannot be negative");
    }
}

Complex value object

[ComplexValueObject]
public partial class Boundary
{
    public decimal Lower { get; }
    public decimal Upper { get; }

    static partial void ValidateFactoryArguments(ref ValidationError? validationError, ref decimal lower, ref decimal upper)
    {
        if (lower > upper)
            validationError = new ValidationError("Lower must be less than or equal to Upper");
    }
}

Full documentation -- simple & complex value objects, customization, framework integration.

Discriminated Unions

Model "one of" types with full type safety. Choose ad-hoc unions for quick combinations (Union<T1, T2>) or regular unions (Union) for rich domain modeling with exhaustive Switch/Map.

Ad-hoc union

[Union<string, int>]
public partial struct TextOrNumber;

Regular union

[Union]
public partial record Result<T>
{
    public sealed record Success(T Value) : Result<T>;
    public sealed record Failure(string Error) : Result<T>;
}

Full documentation -- ad-hoc unions, regular unions, customization, framework integration.

Framework Integration

All generated types integrate with the .NET ecosystem out of the box:

• System.Text.Json -- zero-allocation span-based serialization on .NET 9+
• Entity Framework Core -- value converters for EF Core 8, 9, and 10
• ASP.NET Core -- model binding and Minimal API parameter binding via IParsable<T>
• MessagePack -- binary serialization support
• Newtonsoft.Json -- JsonConverter support
• Swashbuckle / OpenAPI -- schema and operation filters

AI Coding Assistants

Two complementary ways to give an AI coding assistant accurate knowledge of this library:

Agent skill -- a curated guidance package bundled in this repository that teaches AI coding agents (Claude Code, Cursor, and others) how to design and implement Smart Enums, Value Objects, Discriminated Unions, and Object Factories with this library. Install it into your project with the skills CLI:

npx skills@latest add PawelGerr/Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions

This copies the skill into .claude/skills/ (or the equivalent folder for your agent). Add -g to install it globally for all your projects.

Context7 (MCP) -- this library's documentation is indexed by Context7. Agents with the Context7 MCP server configured can pull current docs on demand; reference the library ID /pawelgerr/thinktecture.runtime.extensions (or add use context7 to your prompt).

Full documentation -- what the skill covers, install scopes, agent targeting, and Context7 usage.

Packages

Package	NuGet
Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions
Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions.Json
Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions.Newtonsoft.Json
Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions.MessagePack
Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions.EntityFrameworkCore8
Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions.EntityFrameworkCore9
Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions.EntityFrameworkCore10
Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions.AspNetCore
Thinktecture.Runtime.Extensions.Swashbuckle

Requirements

• C# 11 (or higher) for generated code
• SDK 8.0.416 (or higher) for building projects

Documentation

• Smart Enums -- overview, real-world examples, design patterns
  • Customization -- attribute settings, equality, comparison, parsable interfaces
  • Framework Integration -- JSON, EF Core, ASP.NET Core, MessagePack
  • Performance -- span-based JSON, zero-allocation parsing, benchmarks
• Value Objects -- simple & complex value objects, validation
  • Customization -- attribute settings, equality comparers, factory methods, operators
  • Framework Integration -- JSON, EF Core, ASP.NET Core, MessagePack
• Discriminated Unions -- ad-hoc and regular unions, pattern matching
  • Customization -- backing fields, stateless types, constructors
  • Framework Integration -- JSON, EF Core, MessagePack
• Object Factories -- custom creation logic for advanced parsing and deserialization
• Analyzer Diagnostics -- reference for all TTRESG diagnostic rules
• Source Generator Configuration -- MSBuild properties for controlling generator behavior
• AI Coding Assistants -- the bundled agent skill and Context7 (MCP) support for Claude Code, Cursor, and other AI coding agents

Articles

Smart Enums:

• Smart Enums: Beyond Traditional Enumerations in .NET
• Smart Enums: Adding Domain Logic to Enumerations in .NET
• Smart Enums in .NET: Integration with Frameworks and Libraries

Value Objects:

• Value Objects: Solving Primitive Obsession in .NET
• Handling Complexity: Introducing Complex Value Objects in .NET
• Value Objects in .NET: Integration with Frameworks and Libraries
• Value Objects in .NET: Enhancing Business Semantics
• Advanced Value Object Patterns in .NET

Discriminated Unions:

• Discriminated Unions: Representation of Alternative Types in .NET
• Pattern Matching with Discriminated Unions in .NET
• Discriminated Unions in .NET: Modeling States and Variants
• Discriminated Unions in .NET: Integration with Frameworks and Libraries

Migrations

• Migration from v9 to v10
• Migration from v8 to v9