SourceGeneratorTools

A .NET utility library providing reusable components for building C# Source Generators. Available as both a runtime package and a compile-time source generator, offering type-safe data structures specifically designed for source generator development.

📦 Packages

Package	NuGet	Downloads
LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools
LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools.Generator

• LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools: Runtime utilities library - use this when you need the types in your regular application
• LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools.Generator: Source generator that embeds the utilities at compile-time - use this when building source generators or when you want zero runtime dependencies

Installation

Option 1: Using the Source Generator (Recommended)

Install via NuGet:

dotnet add package LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools.Generator

The package reference in your .csproj should look like this:

<ItemGroup>
  <PackageReference Include="LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools.Generator" Version="0.1.0-alpha"
                    OutputItemType="Analyzer"
                    ReferenceOutputAssembly="false"/>
</ItemGroup>

<PropertyGroup>
<!-- Optional configuration -->
<SourceGeneratorToolsInclude>EquatableArray</SourceGeneratorToolsInclude>
<SourceGeneratorToolsUsePublicModifier>false</SourceGeneratorToolsUsePublicModifier>
</PropertyGroup>

Note: The generator package automatically makes the CompilerVisibleProperty declarations available via its .props file, so you don't need to manually add ItemGroup entries for the properties.

Generates utility code at compile-time without adding runtime dependencies. The generated code becomes part of your project with no additional DLLs to ship.

Option 2: Using the Runtime Package

Install via NuGet:

dotnet add package LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools

The package reference in your .csproj:

<ItemGroup>
  <PackageReference Include="LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools" Version="0.1.0-alpha"/>
</ItemGroup>

Adds the utilities as a traditional NuGet package dependency. The DLL is included in your build output and distributed with your application.

When to Use Which Approach

Quick Comparison

Aspect	Source Generator	Runtime Package
Deployment	No runtime DLL	Ships with your app
Dependencies	Zero at runtime	Package dependency
Primary Use Case	Building source generators	Using utilities in apps
Accessibility Control	Configurable (public/internal)	Fixed (as published)
Build Time	Slightly longer (generation)	Standard

Detailed Guidance

Use the Source Generator (LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools.Generator) when:

• You're building your own source generator - This is the primary use case. When you create a source generator that uses EquatableArray<T> or other utilities, those types need to be available at compile-time in the generator assembly
• You want zero runtime dependencies - The generated code becomes part of your project's source, so there's no additional DLL to ship with your application
• You need to bundle third-party packages - As explained in this article on using 3rd-party libraries with Roslyn source generators, when your source generator depends on external packages, those dependencies must be bundled with the generator. Source generation eliminates this complexity by embedding the code directly.
• You want control over accessibility - Configure whether generated types are public or internal via SourceGeneratorToolsUsePublicModifier

Use the Runtime Package (LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools) when:

• You just need the utility types in your regular application code - If you're using EquatableArray<T> or HashCode in a non-source-generator project
• You prefer traditional package dependency management - Some teams prefer explicit runtime dependencies for clarity in dependency graphs
• You're not building a source generator - For regular applications that just need the utilities

Configuration Reference

When using the source generator package, you can configure its behavior using MSBuild properties.

MSBuild Properties

Property	Type	Default	Description
SourceGeneratorToolsInclude	string	"" (all)	Semicolon-separated list of features to include. Empty means all features.
SourceGeneratorToolsExclude	string	"" (none)	Semicolon-separated list of features to exclude. Ignored when Include is set.
SourceGeneratorToolsUsePublicModifier	string	"false"	Set to "true" to generate types with public accessibility instead of internal.

Note: The boolean property accepts string values "true" or "false" (case-insensitive).

Available Features

• EquatableArray - Generates the complete suite:

  • EquatableArray<T> struct
  • EquatableArrayExtensions class
  • HashCode utility class

• HashCode - Generates only:

  • HashCode utility class (polyfill for System.HashCode.Combine on .NET Standard 2.0)

Configuration Examples

Example 1: Include only HashCode polyfill with public accessibility

<PropertyGroup>
  <SourceGeneratorToolsInclude>HashCode</SourceGeneratorToolsInclude>
  <SourceGeneratorToolsUsePublicModifier>true</SourceGeneratorToolsUsePublicModifier>
</PropertyGroup>

Example 2: Include all features but exclude HashCode (generates only EquatableArray and extensions)

<PropertyGroup>
  <SourceGeneratorToolsExclude>HashCode</SourceGeneratorToolsExclude>
</PropertyGroup>

Example 3: Default behavior (all features, internal accessibility)

<!-- No configuration needed - just reference the package -->
<ItemGroup>
  <PackageReference Include="LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools.Generator" Version="0.1.0-alpha"
                    OutputItemType="Analyzer"
                    ReferenceOutputAssembly="false"/>
</ItemGroup>

Features

EquatableArray<T> - Value-based array equality with a read-only wrapper

Overview

A value-based array wrapper that provides value equality semantics, making it ideal for use in source generators and caching scenarios.

Key Features

• Value equality semantics - Arrays compared by content, not reference
• Read-only by convention - Safe to share across threads when the backing array is not mutated
• Zero-allocation access via AsSpan() for high-performance scenarios
• Index support - Access elements via an indexer or slice via AsSpan()
• Thread-safe for read operations - No locking required
• Generic IEnumerable<T> support - Works with LINQ and foreach

Usage Example

using LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools.Types;

var array1 = new EquatableArray<string>(new[] { "foo", "bar" });
var array2 = new EquatableArray<string>(new[] { "foo", "bar" });

// Value equality - useful for caching in source generators
Console.WriteLine(array1.Equals(array2)); // True
Console.WriteLine(array1.GetHashCode() == array2.GetHashCode()); // True

Note: When using the source generator package, the generated code keeps the original namespaces (LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools.Types, LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools.Utilities, and System.Collections.Generic) and uses internal accessibility by default (configurable via SourceGeneratorToolsUsePublicModifier). When using the runtime package, the types are public.

HashCode - Polyfill for System.HashCode.Combine on .NET Standard 2.0

Overview

A utility class that provides hash code combination functionality for .NET Standard 2.0+ environments, offering the same API as the built-in System.HashCode.Combine methods.

Key Features

• Polyfill for older frameworks - Brings System.HashCode.Combine to .NET Standard 2.0+
• Multiple overloads - Combine 1-8 values in a single call
• Randomized hashing - Per-process seed, consistent within a run
• Zero allocations - Efficient stack-based implementation

Usage Example

using LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools.Utilities;

// Combine multiple values into a single hash code
int hash = HashCode.Combine(value1, value2, value3);

// Use in GetHashCode implementations
public override int GetHashCode() => HashCode.Combine(Name, Age, Email);

Documentation

• GitHub Repository: https://github.com/LayeredCraft/source-generator-tools
• Unit Tests: Comprehensive examples available in test/LayeredCraft.SourceGeneratorTools.UnitTests

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.