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Delegate vs Event in C#
In this article we are going to discuss difference between delegates and events in C#. There are many blogs, articles are available on the internet regarding it but in this particular article I will try to explain to you with as much as simplest and realistic so you can get a clear idea of the delegates and events difference in C#.
Some Important Points
- The event is a notification mechanism that depends on delegate.
- An event is dependent on a delegate and cannot be created without delegates.
- Event is like a wrapper over the delegate to improve its security.
Differences Between Delegates and Events in C#
| Feature | Delegate | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A type that represents references to methods with a specific parameter list and return type. | A special kind of delegate that is used to provide notifications or alerts when something happens. |
| Usage | Defines a method signature and can reference methods with that signature. | Used to signal state changes or actions to subscribers, typically in a publisher-subscriber model. |
| Declaration | |
|
| Invocation | Can be invoked directly. | Can only be invoked within the class that declares it. |
| Subscribers | Can have multiple methods assigned using += or single
method using direct assignment. |
Designed to have multiple subscribers using += to add
event handlers. |
| Access Control | Can be accessed and invoked from any part of the code where it is visible. | Can be subscribed to by any external class, but can only be invoked from within the declaring class. |
| Usage Context | More general-purpose, can be used anywhere a method reference is needed. | Specifically designed for implementing the observer pattern (publish-subscribe model). |
| Purpose | Encapsulates a method or a group of methods. | Provides a way to notify multiple subscribers about changes or actions. |
| Example Usage | Sorting algorithms, callback functions. | GUI applications, event-driven programming. |
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