LLINQ, Language INtegrated Query, is a new extension to the Visual Basic and C# programming languages designed to simplify data queries and database interaction. It addreses O/R mapping issues by making query operations like SQL statements part of the programming language. It also offers built-in support for querying in-memory collections like arrays or lists, XML, DataSets, and relational databases.

LINQ in Action is a fast-paced, comprehensive tutorial for professional developers. This book explores what can be done with LINQ, shows how it works in an application, and addresses the emerging best practices. It presents the general purpose query facilities offered by LINQ in the upcoming C# 3.0 and VB.NET 9.0 languages. A running example introduces basic LINQ concepts. You'll then learn to query unstructured data using LINQ to XML and relational data with LINQ to SQL. Finally, you'll see how to extend LINQ for custom applications.

LINQ in Action will guide you along as you explore this new world of lambda expressions, query operators, and expression trees. As well, you'll explore the new features of C# 3.0, VB.NET 9.0. The book is very practical, anchoring each new idea with running code. Whether you want to use LINQ to query objects, XML documents, or relational databases, you will find all the information you need to get started

But LINQ in Action does not stop at the basic code. This book also shows you how LINQ can be used for advanced processing of data, including coverage of LINQ's extensibility, which allows querying more data sources than those supported by default. All code samples are built on a concrete business case. The running example, LinqBooks, is a personal book cataloging system that shows you how to create LINQ applications with Visual Studio 2008.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 31 Ratings

A required desktop reference - 2008-09-29
Reviewer Rating:
I think the expression is "don't cry over spilled milk...", well when my son spilled milk on this book I almost cried. Why would you cry over a book you ask? There are many reasons. Not only does the book go into LINQ in depth (I know there is a C# in Depth book) but the authors cover all of the parts of the .NET framework that were created and needed for LINQ to function. In addition, all of the samples provided are both in C# and VB.NET. These samples are not your basic "Hello World" samples but useful reusable code snippets that get the point of the book section across.

The book starts of with an introduction to LINQ and the different versions of LINQ to xxx, more than enough to wet your whistle. The authors then go into the prerequisites of the .NET framework required, generics, anonymous types and lambda expressions. This chapter was so good I read it twice. The third chapter discusses how LINQ is made up. After this, the authors go in depth in describing the different types of LINQ, including LINQ to SQL, LINQ to Objects and LINQ to Amazon with useful examples.

This book will be a reference book on my book shelf. I expect to refer to this book constantly.

Incomplete Overview - 2009-07-10
Reviewer Rating:
I am a fan of the Manning "in Action" books, but this has been a serious disappointment. I am a reasonably experienced developer that needed to get up to speed quickly. I have had a number of issues that I needed to understand to get a Linq implementation up and running and I found nothing about any of them in this book. This book just scratches the surface and in the most verbose manner. There is virtually twice as much information in O'Reilly's C# in a Nutshell as there is in this book. If you want a general understanding of what Linq is about, this book might be useful. But if you need to use Linq in any meaningful way in an application, chose another book.

LINQ in Action rocks - 2008-10-07
Reviewer Rating:
I was pleased with overall quality of this book. By and large this is the most comprehensive LINQ book currently available on the market. The writing style is easy to follow and the material is presented in logical manner. I rate it four instead of five because it follows a trend very common to books written by multiple authors - uneven quality of writing. LINQ to Objects for example is pure please to read, but I wish LINQ to SQL was covered better. Overall this is a solid book and I'd recommed it to any working developer.

Junk. Very Disapponted in Mapping publications, - 2009-11-21
Reviewer Rating:
I read alot of Manning books, and was looking forward to reading this book. It said C# and VB. Very little VB. It said in action. Very little. You can see what section each writer wrote. For example, the section on Extending Linq began with brief definitions of each of the flavors, as if the section was written outside the context of the book. The examples used in this section could have been methods defined in the class definition. Hardly worth its value. The section on XML was weak. Very few methods were displayed. I had to go on the internet to get an understanding on how to add elements to an existing document. I returned my copy to the store the next day. The poorest Manning book I ever read.

Light on LINQ to SQL - 2009-09-14
Reviewer Rating:
This book has very good coverage on LINQ to Object and LINQ to XML, but is light on LINQ to SQL.

If you need to use LINQ to SQL at your job, go for Pro LINQ from Apress. Beware the 2nd edition of Pro LINQ is coming out pretty soon.

PS. I am not in any way associated with Apress or the author of Pro LINQ.

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