WIP: Roadmap Version 4

[mcavigelli]

This projects documents and tracks the progress of FileHelpers towards version 4.

Major Goals

• targeting .Net 5
  • maybe .Net Standard 2.0 or 2.1
  • maybe compiling a subset to .Net Framework 4.0
• Simplify maintenance
  • dropping longtime deprecated features (Excel, ExcelNPOI, DataTable)
  • moving classes to namespaces, directed and acyclic dependencies
  • removing code generation through T4 templates. Technology is not known or widely used anymore.
• Preparing more dynamic use of the library by splitting Attributes and Engine
• not a goal
  • async: we currently have to many engines. It is hard to change them. First we simplify (maybe unify) them and then use async / await and / or async streams.
  • validation: I don't think this is the focus of filehelpers.
  • Excel (with or without NPOI): for one, usage seems not high. maybe later reading / writing to file can be abstracted for text- and Excel files.

Version 4.0+

• Add again dynamic feature, but without code generation. Instead offer a typed api.
• Maybe add csv and dynamic detection again. Both depend currently on the dynamic feature.

Risks

• Dropping and changing features will disturb longtime users.
  • Mitigation through continuously up-to-date examples

[pantonis]

Any update one the plan?

[pantonis]

What about usage of Span and Memory to improve performance