dotnet-library-api-compat

Binary and source compatibility rules for .NET library authors. Covers which API changes break consumers at the binary level (assembly loading, JIT resolution) versus at the source level (compilation), how to use type forwarders for assembly reorganization without breaking consumers, and how versioning decisions map to SemVer major/minor/patch increments.

Version assumptions: .NET 8.0+ baseline. Compatibility rules apply to all .NET versions but examples target modern SDK-style projects.

Out of scope: HTTP API versioning -- see [skill:dotnet-api-versioning]. NuGet package metadata, signing, and publish workflows -- see [skill:dotnet-nuget-authoring]. Multi-TFM packaging mechanics (polyfill strategy, conditional compilation) -- see [skill:dotnet-multi-targeting]. PublicApiAnalyzers and API surface validation tooling -- see [skill:dotnet-api-surface-validation]. Roslyn analyzer configuration -- see [skill:dotnet-roslyn-analyzers].

Cross-references: [skill:dotnet-api-versioning] for HTTP API versioning, [skill:dotnet-nuget-authoring] for NuGet packaging and SemVer rules, [skill:dotnet-multi-targeting] for multi-TFM packaging and ApiCompat tooling.

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Binary Compatibility

Binary compatibility means existing compiled assemblies continue to work at runtime without recompilation. A binary-breaking change causes TypeLoadException, MissingMethodException, MissingFieldException, or TypeInitializationException at runtime.

Safe Changes (Binary Compatible)

Change	Why Safe
Add new public type	Existing code never references it
Add new public method to non-sealed class	Existing call sites resolve to their original overload
Add new overload with different parameter count	Existing binaries bind to the original method token
Add optional parameter to existing method	Callers compiled against the old signature have default values embedded in their IL; the runtime resolves the same method token regardless of whether the optional parameter is supplied
Widen access modifier (protected to public)	Existing references remain valid at higher visibility
Add non-abstract interface member with default implementation	Existing implementors inherit the default; no TypeLoadException
Remove sealed from class	Removes a restriction; existing code never subclassed it
Add new enum member	Existing binaries that switch on the enum simply fall through to default

Breaking Changes (Binary Incompatible)

Change	Runtime Failure	Example
Remove public type	TypeLoadException	Delete public class Widget
Remove public method	MissingMethodException	Remove Widget.Calculate()
Change method return type	MissingMethodException	int Calculate() to long Calculate()
Change method parameter types	MissingMethodException	void Process(int id) to void Process(long id)
Change field type	MissingFieldException	public int Count to public long Count
Reorder struct fields	Memory layout change	Breaks interop and Unsafe.As<> consumers
Add abstract member to public class	TypeLoadException	Existing subclasses lack the implementation
Add interface member without default implementation	TypeLoadException	Existing implementors lack the member
Change virtual method to non-virtual	MissingMethodException for overriders	Overriders compiled expecting virtual dispatch
Seal a previously unsealed class	TypeLoadException	Existing subclasses cannot load
Change namespace of public type	TypeLoadException	Unless a type forwarder is added (see below)
Remove virtual from a method	MissingMethodException	Consumers compiled with callvirt find no virtual slot

Default Interface Members

Default interface members (DIM) added in C# 8 allow adding members to interfaces without breaking existing implementors -- but only at the binary level:

public interface IWidget
{
    string Name { get; }

    // Binary-safe: existing implementors inherit this default
    string DisplayName => Name.ToUpperInvariant();
}

However, if a consumer explicitly casts to the interface and the runtime cannot find the default implementation (older runtime), this fails. All runtimes in the .NET 8.0+ baseline support DIMs.

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Source Compatibility

Source compatibility means existing consumer code continues to compile without changes. A source-breaking change causes compiler errors or changes behavior silently (which is worse).

Common Source-Breaking Changes

Change	Compiler Impact	Example
Add overload causing ambiguity	CS0121 (ambiguous call)	Add Process(long id) when Process(int id) exists; callers passing int literal now have two candidates
Add extension method conflicting with instance method	New extension hides or conflicts	Adding Where() extension in a namespace the consumer imports
Change optional parameter default value	Silent behavior change	void Log(string level = "info") to "debug" -- recompiled callers get new default
Add member to interface (even with DIM)	CS0535 if consumer explicitly implements all members	Consumer using explicit interface implementation must add the new member
Remove default value from parameter (make required)	CS7036 (required argument missing)	Callers relying on default value must now pass it explicitly
Add required namespace import	CS0246 if consumer does not import	New public types in consumer's namespace collide
Change parameter name	Breaks callers using named arguments	Process(id: 5) fails if parameter renamed to identifier
Change class to struct (or vice versa)	Breaks new() constraints, is null checks, boxing behavior	Fundamental semantic change
Add new namespace that collides with existing type names	CS0104 (ambiguous reference)	Adding MyLib.Tasks namespace conflicts with System.Threading.Tasks

Overload Resolution Pitfalls

Adding overloads is the most common source of source-breaking changes in libraries. The C# compiler picks the "best" overload at compile time, and a new overload can change which method wins:

// V1 -- only overload
public void Send(object message) { }

// V2 -- new overload; ALL callers passing string now bind here
public void Send(string message) { }

This is source-breaking (callers silently rebind) but binary-compatible (old compiled code still calls the object overload token).

Mitigation: When adding overloads to public APIs, prefer parameter types that do not create implicit conversion paths from existing parameter types. Use [EditorBrowsable(EditorBrowsableState.Never)] on compatibility shims that must remain for binary compatibility but should not appear in IntelliSense.

Extension Method Conflicts

Extension methods resolve at compile time based on imported namespaces. Adding a new extension method can shadow an existing instance method or conflict with extensions from other libraries:

// Library V1 ships in namespace MyLib.Extensions
public static class StringExtensions
{
    public static string Truncate(this string s, int maxLength) =>
        s.Length <= maxLength ? s : s[..maxLength];
}

// Library V2 adds to SAME namespace -- safe
// Library V2 adds to DIFFERENT namespace -- may conflict
// if consumer imports both namespaces

Mitigation: Keep extension methods in the same namespace across versions. Document any namespace additions in release notes.

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Type Forwarders

Type forwarders allow moving a public type from one assembly to another without breaking existing compiled references. The original assembly contains a forwarding entry that redirects the runtime type resolver to the new location.

When to Use Type Forwarders

• Splitting a large assembly into smaller, focused assemblies
• Merging assemblies for packaging simplification
• Reorganizing namespaces across assembly boundaries
• Moving types to a shared assembly consumed by multiple packages

Adding Type Forwarders

In the original assembly (the one types are moving FROM), add forwarding attributes after moving the types to the new assembly:

// In the ORIGINAL assembly's AssemblyInfo.cs or a dedicated TypeForwarders.cs
// This tells the runtime: "Widget now lives in MyLib.Core"
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;

[assembly: TypeForwardedTo(typeof(MyLib.Core.Widget))]
[assembly: TypeForwardedTo(typeof(MyLib.Core.IWidgetFactory))]
[assembly: TypeForwardedTo(typeof(MyLib.Core.WidgetOptions))]

The original assembly must reference the destination assembly so that typeof() resolves correctly.

Receiving Type Forwarders

The destination assembly (the one types are moving TO) contains the actual type definitions. No special attributes are needed on the destination side. The [TypeForwardedFrom] attribute is optional metadata that records where the type originally lived -- useful for serialization compatibility:

// In the DESTINATION assembly -- optional but recommended for
// types that participate in serialization
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;

namespace MyLib.Core;

[TypeForwardedFrom("MyLib, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null")]
public class Widget
{
    public string Name { get; set; } = string.Empty;
    public decimal Price { get; set; }
}

[TypeForwardedFrom] is critical for types deserialized by BinaryFormatter, DataContractSerializer, or any serializer that encodes assembly-qualified type names. Without it, deserialization of data written by older versions will fail with TypeLoadException.

Type Forwarder Chain

Type forwarders can chain: Assembly A forwards to Assembly B, which forwards to Assembly C. The runtime follows the chain. However, keep chains short (ideally one hop) to minimize assembly loading overhead.

Multi-TFM Type Forwarder Pattern

When restructuring assemblies in a multi-TFM library, the forwarding assembly must target all TFMs that consumers might use. A common pattern:

<!-- Original assembly (MyLib.csproj) -- now just a forwarding shim -->
<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <TargetFrameworks>net8.0;netstandard2.0</TargetFrameworks>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <ProjectReference Include="../MyLib.Core/MyLib.Core.csproj" />
  </ItemGroup>
</Project>

See [skill:dotnet-multi-targeting] for multi-TFM packaging mechanics and [skill:dotnet-nuget-authoring] for NuGet packaging of forwarding shims.

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SemVer Impact Summary

Map API changes to Semantic Versioning increments. For full SemVer rules and NuGet versioning strategies, see [skill:dotnet-nuget-authoring].

Change Category	SemVer	Reason
Remove public type or member	Major	Binary-breaking
Change method signature (return type, parameters)	Major	Binary-breaking
Add abstract member to public class	Major	Binary-breaking for subclasses
Add interface member without DIM	Major	Binary-breaking for implementors
Add sealed to a previously unsealed class	Major	Binary-breaking for subclasses
Change struct field layout	Major	Binary-breaking for interop consumers
Change namespace without type forwarder	Major	Binary-breaking
Mark member [Obsolete] (warning or error)	Minor	Binary-compatible; signals deprecation
Add new public type	Minor	Additive, no breaking impact
Add overload (may be source-breaking)	Minor	Binary-compatible; source impact is accepted at minor
Add optional parameter	Minor	Binary-compatible; recompilation picks up new default
Add DIM to interface	Minor	Binary-compatible; additive
Change namespace WITH type forwarder	Minor	Binary-compatible via forwarding
Widen access modifier	Minor	Binary-compatible; additive
Bug fix with no API change	Patch	No public API impact
Documentation or metadata-only change	Patch	No public API impact
Performance improvement with same API	Patch	No public API impact

Deprecation Lifecycle with [Obsolete]

The standard workflow for removing public API members across major versions:

Release	Action	Effect
v2.1 (Minor)	Add [Obsolete("Use Widget.CalculateAsync() instead.")]	Compiler warning CS0618; existing code compiles and runs
v2.3 (Minor)	Change to [Obsolete("Use Widget.CalculateAsync() instead.", error: true)]	Compiler error CS0619; existing binaries still run (binary-compatible)
v3.0 (Major)	Remove the member entirely	Binary-breaking; consumers must migrate

// v2.1 -- warn consumers
[Obsolete("Use CalculateAsync() instead. This method will be removed in v3.0.")]
public int Calculate() => CalculateAsync().GetAwaiter().GetResult();

// v2.3 -- block new compilation against this member
[Obsolete("Use CalculateAsync() instead. This method will be removed in v3.0.", error: true)]
public int Calculate() => CalculateAsync().GetAwaiter().GetResult();

// v3.0 -- remove the member (Major version bump)

Always include the replacement API and the planned removal version in the obsolete message so both humans and agents can migrate proactively.

Multi-TFM Binary Compatibility

Adding or removing target frameworks affects binary compatibility for consumers:

• Adding a new TFM (e.g., adding net9.0 to an existing net8.0 package): Minor version bump. Existing consumers on net8.0 are unaffected; new consumers on net9.0 gain optimized code paths.
• Removing a TFM (e.g., dropping netstandard2.0): Major version bump. Consumers targeting the removed TFM can no longer resolve a compatible assembly.
• Changing the lowest supported TFM (e.g., net6.0 to net8.0): Major version bump. Consumers on the dropped TFM lose compatibility.

See [skill:dotnet-multi-targeting] for practical guidance on managing TFM additions and removals.

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Compatibility Verification

Use EnablePackageValidation in your .csproj to automatically compare the current build against the previously shipped package and detect binary/source-breaking changes:

<PropertyGroup>
  <EnablePackageValidation>true</EnablePackageValidation>
  <!-- Compare against the last shipped version -->
  <PackageValidationBaselineVersion>1.2.0</PackageValidationBaselineVersion>
</PropertyGroup>

Build output flags breaking changes:

error CP0002: Member 'MyLib.Widget.Calculate()' was removed
error CP0006: Cannot change return type of 'MyLib.Widget.GetName()'

To suppress known intentional breaks, generate a suppression file:

dotnet pack /p:GenerateCompatibilitySuppressionFile=true

This produces a CompatibilitySuppressions.xml file that can be checked in. If unspecified, the SDK reads CompatibilitySuppressions.xml from the project directory automatically. To specify explicit suppression files:

<ItemGroup>
  <ApiCompatSuppressionFile Include="CompatibilitySuppressions.xml" />
</ItemGroup>

Note: ApiCompatSuppressionFile is an ItemGroup item, not a PropertyGroup property. Multiple suppression files can be included.

For deeper API surface tracking with PublicApiAnalyzers and CI enforcement workflows, see [skill:dotnet-api-surface-validation].

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Agent Gotchas

1. Do not assume adding an overload is always safe -- it is binary-compatible but can be source-breaking due to overload resolution changes. Always check for implicit conversion paths between existing and new parameter types.
2. Do not remove public members without a major version bump -- even [Obsolete] members must be preserved until the next major version to maintain binary compatibility.
3. Do not forget type forwarders when moving types between assemblies -- without [TypeForwardedTo], consumers get TypeLoadException at runtime. Always add forwarders in the original assembly.
4. Do not change optional parameter default values in patch releases -- this silently changes behavior for recompiled consumers while old binaries retain the old default, creating version-dependent behavior divergence.
5. Do not confuse binary compatibility with source compatibility -- a change can be binary-safe but source-breaking (new overload) or source-safe but binary-breaking (changing return type from int to long). Test both.
6. Do not skip [TypeForwardedFrom] on serializable types -- serializers that encode assembly-qualified type names (DataContractSerializer, legacy BinaryFormatter) will fail to deserialize data written by older versions.
7. Do not put ApiCompatSuppressionFile in a PropertyGroup -- it is an ItemGroup item (<ApiCompatSuppressionFile Include="..." />), not a property. Using PropertyGroup syntax silently does nothing.
8. Do not remove a TFM from a library package without a major version bump -- consumers on the removed TFM lose compatibility with no fallback.

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Prerequisites

• .NET 8.0+ SDK
• EnablePackageValidation MSBuild property for automated compatibility checking
• Understanding of SemVer 2.0 conventions (see [skill:dotnet-nuget-authoring])
• Familiarity with assembly loading and binding (strong naming concepts)

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References

• Microsoft Learn: Breaking changes
• Microsoft Learn: Type forwarding in the CLR
• Microsoft Learn: EnablePackageValidation
• .NET API compatibility analyzer
• SemVer 2.0 Specification
• Library guidance: Breaking changes