Empty interfaces should be avoided as they do not provide any functional requirements for implementing classes.

== Why is this an issue?

Empty interfaces are either useless or used as a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marker_interface_pattern[marker]. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/attributes/writing-custom-attributes[Custom attributes] are a better alternative to marker interfaces. See the _How to fix it_ section for more information.

=== Exceptions

This rule doesn't raise in any of the following cases:

==== Aggregation of multiple interfaces

[source,csharp]
----
public interface IAggregate: IComparable, IFormattable { } // Compliant: Aggregates two interfaces
----

==== Generic specialization

An empty interface with a single base interface is compliant as long as the resulting interface binds a generic parameter or constrains it.

[source,csharp]
----
// Compliant: Bound to a concrete type
public interface IStringEquatable: IEquatable<string> { }
// Compliant: Specialized by type parameter constraint
public interface ICreateableEquatable<T>: IEquatable<T> where T: new() { } 
----

==== Custom attribute

An empty interface is compliant if a custom attribute is applied to the interface.

[source,csharp]
----
[Obsolete]
public interface ISorted { } // Compliant: An attribute is applied to the interface declaration
----

== How to fix it

Do any of the following to fix the issue:

* Add members to the interface
* Remove the useless interface
* Replace the usage as a marker interface with custom attributes

=== Code examples

==== Noncompliant code example

The empty interface does not add any functionality.

[source,csharp,diff-id=1,diff-type=noncompliant]
----
public interface IFoo // Noncompliant
{ 

}
----

==== Compliant solution

Add members to the interface to be compliant.

[source,csharp,diff-id=1,diff-type=compliant]
----
public interface IFoo
{ 
    void Bar();
}
----

==== Noncompliant code example

A typical use case for marker interfaces is doing type inspection via https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/reflection-and-codedom/reflection[reflection] as shown below.

The `IIncludeFields` marker interface is used to configure the JSON serialization of an object.

[source,csharp,diff-id=2,diff-type=noncompliant]
----
// An example marker interface
public interface IIncludeFields { }

public class OptInToIncludeFields: IIncludeFields { }

Serialize(new OptInToIncludeFields());

void Serialize<T>(T o)
{
    // Use reflection to check if the interface is applied to the type
    var includeFields = o.GetType()
        .GetInterfaces().Any(i => i == typeof(IIncludeFields));
    var options = new JsonSerializerOptions()
    {
        // Take decisions based on the presence of the marker
        IncludeFields = includeFields, 
    };
}
----

The same example can be rewritten using custom attributes. This approach is preferable because it is more fine-grained, allows parameterization, and is more flexible in type hierarchies.

[source,csharp,diff-id=2,diff-type=compliant]
----
// A custom attribute used as a marker
[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Class)]
public sealed class IncludeFieldsAttribute: Attribute { }

[IncludeFields]
public class OptInToIncludeFields { }

Serialize(new OptInToIncludeFields());

void Serialize<T>(T o)
{
    // Use reflection to check if the attribute is applied to the type
    var includeFields = o.GetType()
        .GetCustomAttributes(typeof(IncludeFieldsAttribute), inherit: true).Any();
    var options = new JsonSerializerOptions()
    {
        // Take decisions based on the presence of the marker
        IncludeFields = includeFields,
    };
}
----

== Resources

=== Documentation

* Microsoft Learn - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/fundamentals/types/interfaces[Interfaces - define behavior for multiple types]
* Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marker_interface_pattern[Marker interface pattern]
* Microsoft Learn - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/attributes/writing-custom-attributes[Writing custom attributes]


ifdef::env-github,rspecator-view[]

'''
== Implementation Specification
(visible only on this page)

include::../message.adoc[]

include::../highlighting.adoc[]

endif::env-github,rspecator-view[]