Difference initializing static variable inline or in static constructor in C#

Question

I would like to know what is the difference between initializing a static member inline as in:

class Foo
{
    private static Bar bar_ = new Bar();
}

or initializing it inside the static constructor as in:

class Foo
{
    static Foo()
    {
        bar_ = new Bar();
    }
    private static Bar bar_;
}

Answer 1

If you have a static constructor in your type, it alters type initialization due to the beforefieldinit flag no longer being applied.

It also affects initialization order - variable initializers are all executed before the static constructor.

That's about it as far as I know though.

Answer 2

In this case I don't believe there si any practical difference. If you need some logic in initializing the static variables - like if you would want to use different concrete types of an interface given different conditions - you would use the static constructor. Else, the inline initialization is fine in my book.

class Foo
{
    private static IBar _bar;

    static Foo()
    {
        if(something)
        {
            _bar = new BarA();
        }
        else
        {
            _bar = new BarB();
        }
    }
}

Answer 3

Twilight zone answer: There is a difference in order of execution between inline initializers and ctor assignment... when you mix in instance and static members and inheritance to boot.

For static members, static initializers 
Static ctors (execute bottom up)
Base static initializer
Base static ctor and so on

For instance members, initializers in current class execute first
Then initializers in base class execute ( up the chain)
Then top-most base ctor is executed (and we walk down now. Instance ctors execute top-down)
Finally current type's ctor is executed.

Example :)

public class CBase
    {
        static Talkative m_Baseob1 = new Talkative("Base Static Initializer-");
        static Talkative m_Baseob2;
        Talkative m_Baseob3 = new Talkative("Base Inst Initializer");
        Talkative m_Baseob4;
        static CBase()
        {
            Console.WriteLine("***MethodBegin: Static Base Ctor");
            m_Baseob2 = new Talkative("Base Static Ctor");
            Console.WriteLine("***MethodEnd: Static Base Ctor");
        }
        public CBase()
        {
            Console.WriteLine("***MethodBegin: Instance Base Ctor");
            m_Baseob4 = new Talkative("Base Instance Ctor");
            Console.WriteLine("***MethodEnd: Instance Base Ctor");
        }
    }
    public class CDerived : CBase
    {
        static Talkative m_ob1 = new Talkative("Derived Static Initializer");
        static Talkative m_ob2;
        Talkative m_ob3 = new Talkative("Derived Inst Initializer");
        Talkative m_ob4;
        static CDerived()
        {
            Console.WriteLine("***MethodBegin: Derived Static Ctor");
            m_ob2 = new Talkative("Derived Static Ctor");
            Console.WriteLine("***MethodEnd: Derived Static Ctor");
        }
        public CDerived()
        {
            Console.WriteLine("***MethodBegin: Derived Instance Ctor");
            m_ob4 = new Talkative("Derived Instance Ctor");
            Console.WriteLine("***MethodEnd: Derived Instance Ctor");
        }
    }
    internal class Talkative
    {
        public Talkative(string sID)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(sID + " - Talkative created" );
        }
    }

    # Main function somewhere
    CDerived s = new CDerived();

Output:

Derived Static Initializer - Talkative created

***MethodBegin: Derived Static Ctor
Derived Static Ctor - Talkative created
***MethodEnd: Derived Static Ctor

Derived Inst Initializer - Talkative created

Base Static Initializer- - Talkative created

***MethodBegin: Static Base Ctor
Base Static Ctor - Talkative created
***MethodEnd: Static Base Ctor

Base Inst Initializer - Talkative created

***MethodBegin: Instance Base Ctor
Base Instance Ctor - Talkative created
***MethodEnd: Instance Base Ctor

***MethodBegin: Derived Instance Ctor
Derived Instance Ctor - Talkative created
***MethodEnd: Derived Instance Ctor