CSHARP.STRUCT.UUCLASS : Unused Class (C#)

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CSHARP.STRUCT.UUCLASS : Unused Class (C#)

Summary

Classes that are defined in a project but never used are possibly legacy code, that could be removed or left in the version control system only. This would clean the project and avoid spurious code. Moreover, in some cases an unused class might be the sign of a bug, if the programmer expected it to be used.

Methods or constructors never used in the code are often harmless, except for an increase in size of the application. In some cases, however, unused methods are the sign of a stale application interface that needs cleaning or of the necessity to introduce an abstract method.

Properties

Example

using System;

namespace DocumentationExamples {

public class UnusedClass {

    interface ITask {
      void Go();
    }

    abstract class SubTask : ITask {    // "Unused Class (C#)" warning issued here 
                                        // - this class is never used in the code and could be removed 
      private static int goCounter;

      void ITask.Go(){
        goCounter++;
        GoImpl();
      }

      protected abstract void GoImpl();

      protected static int HowManyRuns(){
        return goCounter;
      }

    }

    class Tmp : ITask {

      void ITask.Go(){
        Console.WriteLine("I'm running");
      }

    };

    public static void Main(string[] args){
      new Tmp();
    }

  }
}

Resolution

For a concrete class, remove the class from the program and simplify the code. If you expected the class to be used, determine why it is not.

For an interface or abstract class, check to see if can be simplified, or if an abstract method could replace a non-abstract method.

Relevant Configuration File Parameters

The following configuration file parameters affect checks for this warning class.