P/Invoke vs C Interop

Developers should learn P/Invoke when building meets developers should learn c interop when working on projects that require high performance, integration with legacy c libraries, or direct hardware/system access, such as in embedded systems, game development, or operating system programming. Here's our take.

P/Invoke

Nice Pick

Developers should learn P/Invoke when building

Pros

• NET applications that need to interact with operating system APIs (e
• Related to: csharp, dotnet-framework

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

C Interop

Developers should learn C Interop when working on projects that require high performance, integration with legacy C libraries, or direct hardware/system access, such as in embedded systems, game development, or operating system programming

Pros

• It is essential for scenarios where using pure C is necessary for speed or compatibility, but the main application is written in a higher-level language, enabling a balance between productivity and control
• Related to: c-language, foreign-function-interface

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use P/Invoke if: You want net applications that need to interact with operating system apis (e and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use C Interop if: You prioritize it is essential for scenarios where using pure c is necessary for speed or compatibility, but the main application is written in a higher-level language, enabling a balance between productivity and control over what P/Invoke offers.

The Bottom Line

P/Invoke wins

Developers should learn P/Invoke when building