The Reflection API Hierarchy
The .NET reflection API is actually a lattice of classes-part of which is shown in Figure 16-1-that is defined in the System.Reflection namespace. These classes enable you to logically traverse assembly and type information. You can start at any place in this hierarchy depending on your application's specific design needs.
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Figure 16-1 Partial .NET System.Reflection classhierarchy.-
Note that these classes encompass a great deal of functionality. Rather than listing every method and field for each class, I will present an overview of the key classes and then show a demo that illustrates the functionality you'd most likely need to incorporate in your applications.