Learn Microsoft AI demonstrates the new null-conditional assignment feature in C# 14 and .NET 10, showing how these updates can help you write safer, cleaner C# code.

C# 14 New Feature: Null-Conditional Assignment in .NET 10

Learn Microsoft AI presents a walkthrough of a C# 14 feature introduced in .NET 10: null-conditional assignment using ?. and ?[] as assignment targets. This update allows you to write expressions such as myObj?.Property = value; and myArray?[index] = value;, so the assignment only occurs if the target is not null.

What is Null-Conditional Assignment?

• Traditionally, assigning values through an object or array required explicit null checks to avoid exceptions.
• C# 14 enables the use of null-conditional (?., ?[]) directly on the assignment's left-hand side.
• Benefit: Only evaluates the right-hand side if the assignment target is not null, delivering cleaner and safer code.

Example Usage

person?.Name = "Alex";
items?[3] = "New Value";

• If person or items is null, no assignment or exception occurs.

Advantages

• Reduces boilerplate null checks
• Prevents NullReferenceException in common patterns
• Keeps code more readable and concise

When to Use

• Working with optional objects or collections
• Refactoring older codebases for safety improvements

Learn More

• This feature is available starting in C# 14 with .NET 10.
• See official documentation and sample projects for real-world examples.

Author: Learn Microsoft AI