C# Destructor

In C#, destructor (finalizer) is used to destroy objects of class when the scope of an object ends. It has the same name as the class and starts with a tilde ~. For example,

class Test {
  ...
  //destructor
  ~Test() {
    ...
  }
}

Here, ~Test() is the destructor.

Example 1: Working of C# Destructor

using System;  
namespace CsharpDestructor {
  
  class Person {

    public Person() {
      Console.WriteLine("Constructor called.");
    }
    
    // destructor
    ~Person() {
      Console.WriteLine("Destructor called.");
    }

    public static void Main(string [] args) {

      //creates object of Person
      Person p1 = new Person();
    }
  } 
}

Output

Constructor called.
Destructor called.

In the above example, we have created a destructor ~Person inside the Person class.

When we create an object of the Person class, the constructor is called. After the scope of the object ends, object p1 is no longer needed. So, the destructor is called implicitly which destroys object p1.

Example 2: C# Destructor

using System;  
namespace CsharpDestructor {
  
  class Person {

    string name;

    void getName() {
      Console.WriteLine("Name: " + name);
    }

    // destructor
    ~Person() {
      Console.WriteLine("Destructor called.");
    }

    public static void Main(string [] args) {

      // creates object of Person
      Person p1 = new Person();

      p1.name = "Ed Sheeran";
      p1.getName();
    }
  } 
}

Output

Name: Ed Sheeran
Destructor called.

Features of Destructors

There are some important features of the C# destructor. They are as follows:

• We can only have one destructor in a class.
• A destructor cannot have access modifiers, parameters, or return types.
• A destructor is called implicitly by the Garbage collector of the .NET Framework.
• We cannot overload or inherit destructors.
• We cannot define destructors in structs.