Fields and properties

Learn fields, properties and auto-property usage.

Fields

Variables declared in a class body are called fields. Fields hold the object's data. In a Product class, public string name; is a field.

Fields take an access modifier: public from anywhere, private only inside the class. For encapsulation, most fields are private and exposed through properties. Fields use lowercase, properties use PascalCase.

Properties

Properties read like fields but work like methods behind the scenes. get is the read accessor, set is the write accessor. The most common form is the auto-property:

public string Name { get; set; }. This line tells the compiler to generate a hidden field and handle reading and writing automatically. Less code, stronger encapsulation. Property names use PascalCase: Name, Price, IsActive.

Exercise Add properties to the Product class

Define a Product class with public string Name { get; set; } and public decimal Price { get; set; } auto-properties. Inside Main create an instance, set Name to "Pen" and print Name.

Show example solution

Add two auto-properties to Product. In Main write Product p = new Product(); p.Name = "Pen"; Console.WriteLine(p.Name);
Example solution:
using System;

class Product
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public decimal Price { get; set; }
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        Product p = new Product();
        p.Name = "Pen";
        Console.WriteLine(p.Name);
    }
}

Test yourself

Complete the field declaration

class Product { public string ____; }

Show answer

class Product { public string name; }

Which is a valid auto-property?
- public string Name;
- public string Name { get; set; }
- public string Name = get; set;
- public Name { }
Show answer

public string Name { get; set; } — Correct. { get; set; } is the auto-property syntax.
Match each declaration to its type

public string name;

Field
public string Name { get; set; }

Auto-property
new Product()

Instance creation
product.Name

Property access

Next lesson: Methods

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