Question

C# will allow to create an object using either Object() or Object{}. What is the difference with Object() and Object{}

public item getitem()
{

return new item()

}

public item getitem()
{

return new item {}

}

Answer 1

This syntax:

new SomeType{}

is an object initializer expression which happens to set no properties. It calls the parameterless constructor implicitly. You can add property assignments within the braces:

new SomeType { Name = "Jon" }

This syntax:

new SomeType()

is just a call to the parameterless constructor, with no opportunities to set properties.

Note that you can explicitly call a constructor (paramterized or not) with an object initializer too:

// Explicit parameterless constructor call
new SomeType() { Name = "Jon" }

// Call to constructor with parameters
new SomeType("Jon") { Age = 36 }

See section 7.6.10.2 of the C# 4 specification for more details about object initializers.

I would highly recommend that if you aren’t setting any properties, you just use new SomeType() for clarity. It’s odd to use an object initializer without setting any properties.