Fluent and Query Expression — Is there any benefit(s) of one over other?

c# linq

Neither is better: they serve different needs. Query syntax comes into its own when you want to leverage multiple range variables. This happens in three situations:

When using the let keyword
When you have multiple generators (from clauses)
When doing joins

Here's an example (from the LINQPad samples):

string[] fullNames = { "Anne Williams", "John Fred Smith", "Sue Green" };

var query =
  from fullName in fullNames
  from name in fullName.Split()
  orderby fullName, name
  select name + " came from " + fullName;

Now compare this to the same thing in method syntax:

var query = fullNames
  .SelectMany (fName => fName.Split().Select (name => new { name, fName } ))
  .OrderBy (x => x.fName)
  .ThenBy  (x => x.name)
  .Select  (x => x.name + " came from " + x.fName);

Method syntax, on the other hand, exposes the full gamut of query operators and is more concise with simple queries. You can get the best of both worlds by mixing query and method syntax. This is often done in LINQ to SQL queries:

var query =
  from c in db.Customers
  let totalSpend = c.Purchases.Sum (p => p.Price)    // Method syntax here
  where totalSpend > 1000
  from p in c.Purchases
  select new { p.Description, totalSpend, c.Address.State };

I prefer to use the latter (sometimes called "query comprehension syntax") when I can write the whole expression that way.

var titlesQuery = from e in entries
                  where e.Approved
                  orderby e.Rating
                  select e.Titles;

var title = titlesQuery.FirstOrDefault();

As soon as I have to add (parentheses) and .MethodCalls(), I change.

When I use the former, I usually put one clause per line, like this:

var title = entries
    .Where (e => e.Approved)
    .OrderBy (e => e.Rating)
    .Select (e => e.Title)
    .FirstOrDefault();

I find that a little easier to read.

Fluent and Query Expression — Is there any benefit(s) of one over other?

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