Literals

Syntax#

bool: true or false
byte: None, integer literal implicitly converted from int
sbyte: None, integer literal implicitly converted from int
char: Wrap the value with single-quotes
decimal: M or m
double: D, d, or a real number
float: F or f
int: None, default for integral values within the range of int
uint: U, u, or integral values within the range of uint
long: L, l, or integral values within the range of long
ulong: UL, ul, Ul, uL, LU, lu, Lu, lU, or integral values within the range of ulong
short: None, integer literal implicitly converted from int
ushort: None, integer literal implicitly converted from int
string: Wrap the value with double-quotes, optionally prepended with @
null: The literal null

int literals

int literals are defined by simply using integral values within the range of int:

int i = 5;

uint literals

uint literals are defined by using the suffix U or u, or by using an integral values within the range of uint:

uint ui = 5U;

string literals

string literals are defined by wrapping the value with double-quotes ":

string s = "hello, this is a string literal";

String literals may contain escape sequences. See String Escape Sequences

Additionally, C# supports verbatim string literals (See Verbatim Strings). These are defined by wrapping the value with double-quotes ", and prepending it with @. Escape sequences are ignored in verbatim string literals, and all whitespace characters are included:

string s = @"The path is:
C:\Windows\System32";
//The backslashes and newline are included in the string

char literals

char literals are defined by wrapping the value with single-quotes ':

char c = 'h';

Character literals may contain escape sequences. See String Escape Sequences

A character literal must be exactly one character long (after all escape sequences have been evaluated). Empty character literals are not valid. The default character (returned by default(char) or new char()) is '\0', or the NULL character (not to be confused with the null literal and null references).

byte literals

byte type has no literal suffix. Integer literals are implicitly converted from int:

byte b = 127;

sbyte literals

sbyte type has no literal suffix. Integer literals are implicitly converted from int:

sbyte sb = 127;

decimal literals

decimal literals are defined by using the suffix M or m on a real number:

decimal m = 30.5M;

double literals

double literals are defined by using the suffix D or d, or by using a real number:

double d = 30.5D;

float literals

float literals are defined by using the suffix F or f, or by using a real number:

float f = 30.5F;

long literals

long literals are defined by using the suffix L or l, or by using an integral values within the range of long:

long l = 5L;

ulong literal

ulong literals are defined by using the suffix UL, ul, Ul, uL, LU, lu, Lu, or lU, or by using an integral values within the range of ulong:

ulong ul = 5UL;

short literal

short type has no literal. Integer literals are implicitly converted from int:

short s = 127;

ushort literal

ushort type has no literal suffix. Integer literals are implicitly converted from int:

ushort us = 127;

bool literals

bool literals are either true or false;

bool b = true;