LINQPad – The .NET Programmer’s Playground
I use LINQPad almost every day to execute any C# code I write, and sometimes it totally replaces Visual Studio for me. Moreover, I do not need to use SQL Server Management Studio for simple queries anymore. Unlike VS and SSMS, LINQPad is light and fast. If you want to see how valuable tool it is, just read this article till the end.
Disclaimer: I have Premium license (info) that I won at a local .NET group meeting (Wroc.NET). Some of the features described below are not available in the free version.
Simple queries (Expression)
LINQPad can run any C#, VB and F# code. Both LINQ queries and source code should be written using the syntax of the selected language. The tool automatically colors the source code according to standard.
The outcome of each query is presented in the results view – either in a text format (there is an HTML underneath) or in a grid. Additionally, you can see IL statements and execution tree for each query.
Complex queries (Statements)
LINQPad can also run a series of queries. This feature comes in handy when you want to execute more complex query. It is worth mentioning that LINQPad fully supports automatic code completion (IntelliSense).
