C# Programming/Keywords/is

The is keyword compares an object to a type, and if they're the same or of the same "kind" (the object inherits the type), returns true. The keyword is therefore used to check for type compatibility, usually before casting (converting) a source type to a destination type in order to ensure that won't cause a type-cast exception to be thrown. Using is on a null variable always returns false.

This code snippet shows a sample usage:

System.IO.StreamReader reader = new StreamReader("readme.txt");
bool b = reader is System.IO.TextReader;

// b is now set to true, because StreamReader inherits TextReader



C# Keywords
abstract as base bool break
byte case catch char checked
class const continue decimal default
delegate do double else enum
event explicit extern false finally
fixed float for foreach goto
if implicit in int interface
internal is lock long namespace
new null object operator out
override params private protected public
readonly ref return sbyte sealed
short sizeof stackalloc static string
struct switch this throw true
try typeof uint ulong unchecked
unsafe ushort using var virtual
void volatile while
Special C# Identifiers (Contextual Keywords)
add alias async await dynamic
get global nameof partial remove
set value when where yield
Contextual Keywords (Used in Queries)
ascending by descending equals from
group in into join let
on orderby select where