Interlink

Interlink is a lightweight and modern mediator library for .NET, designed to decouple your code through request/response and notification patterns. Built with simplicity and performance in mind, it helps streamline communication between components while maintaining a clean architecture.

✨ Features

🧩 Simple mediator pattern for request/response
🔁 Publish/Subscribe notification system
🎯 Unified IMediator (combines ISender + IPublisher)
⚪ Unit support for fire-and-forget / void commands (IRequest / IRequest<Unit>)
🔧 Pipeline behaviors (logging, validation, etc.)
🧠 Clean separation of concerns via handlers
🪝 Dependency injection support out of the box
🔄 Pre and Post Processors for enhanced lifecycle control
🔍 Assembly scanning for automatic handler registration
🧪 Custom service factory injection
🔄 Pipeline ordering via attributes or configuration
🚨 Dedicated HandlerNotFoundException
✅ Compatible with .NET Standard 2.0+ to .NET 10
📦 Optional packages: Logging, FluentValidation, ASP.NET Core, Analyzer

📦 Installation

dotnet add package Interlink

Optional packages:

dotnet add package Interlink.Extensions.Logging
dotnet add package Interlink.Extensions.Validation
dotnet add package Interlink.AspNetCore
dotnet add package Interlink.Analyzers

⚙️ Setup

Register Interlink in Program.cs (or Startup.cs):

builder.Services.AddInterlink();

Scan a specific assembly:

builder.Services.AddInterlink(typeof(MyHandler).Assembly);

Configure pipeline behaviors and optional custom factory:

builder.Services.AddInterlink(options =>
{
    // Open-generic behaviors (order is optional; lower runs first / outermost)
    options.AddBehavior(typeof(LoggingBehavior<,>), order: 0);
    options.AddBehavior(typeof(ValidationBehavior<,>), order: 1);

    // Optional custom resolution factory
    options.ServiceFactory = type => /* your custom resolver */;
}, typeof(MyHandler).Assembly);

With the extension packages:

builder.Services.AddInterlink(typeof(MyHandler).Assembly);
builder.Services.AddInterlinkLogging();
builder.Services.AddInterlinkValidation(typeof(MyValidator).Assembly);
builder.Services.AddInterlinkAspNetCore();   // registers exception filter

📨 Request / Response Pattern

1. Define a request and handler

With response

using Interlink;
using Interlink.Contracts;

public class GetAllPets
{
    public sealed record Query : IRequest<List<string>>;

    public sealed class Handler : IRequestHandler<Query, List<string>>
    {
        public Task<List<string>> Handle(Query request, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
        {
            var pets = new List<string> { "Dog", "Cat", "Fish" };
            return Task.FromResult(pets);
        }
    }
}

Without response (using Unit)

using Interlink;
using Interlink.Contracts;

public class CreatePet
{
    public sealed record Command(string Name) : IRequest;   // or IRequest<Unit>

    public sealed class Handler : IRequestHandler<Command, Unit>
    {
        public Task<Unit> Handle(Command request, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
        {
            // Save pet to database...
            Console.WriteLine($"Pet '{request.Name}' created");

            return Unit.Value;          // or Task.FromResult(Unit.Value)
        }
    }
}

Note

IRequest is equivalent to IRequest<Unit>.

Always return Unit.Value (or Task.FromResult(Unit.Value)) from handlers that produce no meaningful response.

2. Send the request

[ApiController]
[Route("api/[controller]")]
public class PetController(IMediator mediator) : ControllerBase
{
    [HttpGet]
    public async Task<IActionResult> GetAllPets(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
    {
        var pets = await mediator.Send(new GetAllPets.Query(), cancellationToken);
        return Ok(pets);
    }

    [HttpPost]
    public async Task<IActionResult> CreatePet(string name, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
    {
        await mediator.Send(new CreatePet.Command(name), cancellationToken);
        return NoContent();
    }

}

You can also inject ISender if you only need request/response functionality.

If no handler is registered, Send throws HandlerNotFoundException.

📣 Notifications (Publish / Subscribe)

1. Define a notification

public sealed class UserCreated(string userName) : INotification
{
    public string UserName { get; } = userName;
}

2. Create one or more handlers

public sealed class SendWelcomeEmail : INotificationHandler<UserCreated>
{
    public Task Handle(UserCreated notification, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"Welcome email sent to {notification.UserName}");
        return Task.CompletedTask;
    }
}

public sealed class WriteAuditLog : INotificationHandler<UserCreated>
{
    public Task Handle(UserCreated notification, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"Audit: user {notification.UserName} created");
        return Task.CompletedTask;
    }
}

3. Publish

public class AccountService(IMediator mediator)
{
    public async Task RegisterUser(string username)
    {
        // Save to DB...
        await mediator.Publish(new UserCreated(username));
    }
}

You can also inject IPublisher if you only need notification publishing.

🧬 Pipeline Behaviors

Pipeline behaviors wrap the handler and can run logic before and after it.

Signature (correct order)

public interface IPipelineBehavior<in TRequest, TResponse>
    where TRequest : notnull
{
    Task<TResponse> Handle(
        TRequest request,
        RequestHandlerDelegate<TResponse> next,
        CancellationToken cancellationToken);
}

Example behavior

public sealed class TimingBehavior<TRequest, TResponse> : IPipelineBehavior<TRequest, TResponse>
    where TRequest : notnull
{
    public async Task<TResponse> Handle(
        TRequest request,
        RequestHandlerDelegate<TResponse> next,
        CancellationToken cancellationToken)
    {
        var sw = Stopwatch.StartNew();
        var response = await next(cancellationToken);
        sw.Stop();
        Console.WriteLine($"{typeof(TRequest).Name} took {sw.ElapsedMilliseconds} ms");
        return response;
    }
}

Ordering

Use the attribute (lower value runs first / outermost):

[PipelineOrder(1)]
public sealed class FirstBehavior<TRequest, TResponse> : IPipelineBehavior<TRequest, TResponse>
    where TRequest : notnull
{
    public async Task<TResponse> Handle(
        TRequest request,
        RequestHandlerDelegate<TResponse> next,
        CancellationToken cancellationToken)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("First behavior");
        return await next(cancellationToken);
    }
}

[PipelineOrder(2)]
public sealed class SecondBehavior<TRequest, TResponse> : IPipelineBehavior<TRequest, TResponse>
    where TRequest : notnull
{
    public async Task<TResponse> Handle(
        TRequest request,
        RequestHandlerDelegate<TResponse> next,
        CancellationToken cancellationToken)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("Second behavior");
        return await next(cancellationToken);
    }
}

Or supply the order when registering:

builder.Services.AddInterlink(options =>
{
    options.AddBehavior(typeof(FirstBehavior<,>), order: 1);
    options.AddBehavior(typeof(SecondBehavior<,>), order: 2);
});

🔄 Pre and Post Processors

Pre-processors run before the pipeline.
Post-processors run after a successful pipeline.

public sealed class MyRequestPreProcessor : IRequestPreProcessor<GetAllPets.Query>
{
    public Task Process(GetAllPets.Query request, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("[Pre] GetAllPets");
        return Task.CompletedTask;
    }
}

public sealed class MyRequestPostProcessor : IRequestPostProcessor<GetAllPets.Query, List<string>>
{
    public Task Process(GetAllPets.Query request, List<string> response, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"[Post] returned {response.Count} pets");
        return Task.CompletedTask;
    }
}

They are discovered automatically by AddInterlink().

📋 Built-in Logging Behavior

dotnet add package Interlink.Extensions.Logging

builder.Services.AddInterlinkLogging();

This registers LoggingBehavior<TRequest, TResponse>, which logs:

request start
successful completion + elapsed milliseconds
exceptions

✅ FluentValidation Integration

dotnet add package Interlink.Extensions.Validation

// Registers ValidationBehavior + scans for IValidator<T>
builder.Services.AddInterlinkValidation(typeof(CreateUserValidator).Assembly);

Example validator:

public sealed class CreateUserValidator : AbstractValidator<CreateUser.Command>
{
    public CreateUserValidator()
    {
        RuleFor(x => x.Email).NotEmpty().EmailAddress();
        RuleFor(x => x.Name).NotEmpty().MaximumLength(100);
    }
}

When validation fails, a FluentValidation.ValidationException is thrown (mapped to 400 by the ASP.NET Core filter if you use it).

🌐 ASP.NET Core Integration

dotnet add package Interlink.AspNetCore

builder.Services.AddControllers();
builder.Services.AddInterlinkAspNetCore();   // adds InterlinkExceptionFilter

The filter maps:

Exception	HTTP Status	Response
`HandlerNotFoundException`	404	ProblemDetails
`ValidationException`*	400	ValidationProblemDetails

* FluentValidation support is optional and detected at runtime (no hard dependency).

🔍 Analyzer (missing handler detection)

dotnet add package Interlink.Analyzers

Produces diagnostic ILINK001 (warning) when a type implements IRequest<TResponse> but no corresponding IRequestHandler<TRequest, TResponse> is found in the compilation.

📦 API Overview

Core contracts

public interface IRequest<out TResponse> { }

// Non-generic form (equivalent to IRequest<Unit>)
public interface IRequest : IRequest<Unit> { }

public interface IRequestHandler<in TRequest, TResponse>
    where TRequest : IRequest<TResponse>
{
    Task<TResponse> Handle(TRequest request, CancellationToken cancellationToken);
}

public interface INotification { }

public interface INotificationHandler<in TNotification>
    where TNotification : INotification
{
    Task Handle(TNotification notification, CancellationToken cancellationToken);
}

Unit

/// <summary>
/// Represents a void response. Use this when a request does not return a meaningful value.
/// </summary>
public readonly struct Unit : IEquatable<Unit>
{
    public static readonly Unit Value = default;
    public static Task<Unit> Task => System.Threading.Tasks.Task.FromResult(Value);
    ...
}

Prefer IRequest (or IRequest<Unit>) for commands that only perform an action.
Always return Unit.Value (or Task.FromResult(Unit.Value)) from the corresponding handler.

Sender, Publisher & Mediator

public interface ISender
{
    Task<TResponse> Send<TResponse>(IRequest<TResponse> request, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default);
    Task Send(IRequest request, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default);   // convenience for Unit
}

public interface IPublisher
{
    Task Publish<TNotification>(TNotification notification, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
        where TNotification : INotification;
}

/// <summary>
/// Unified mediator that combines request/response and notification publishing.
/// </summary>
public interface IMediator : ISender, IPublisher
{
}

Pipeline

public delegate Task<TResponse> RequestHandlerDelegate<TResponse>(CancellationToken cancellationToken = default);

public interface IPipelineBehavior<in TRequest, TResponse>
    where TRequest : notnull
{
    Task<TResponse> Handle(TRequest request, RequestHandlerDelegate<TResponse> next, CancellationToken cancellationToken);
}

Pre / Post processors

public interface IRequestPreProcessor<in TRequest> where TRequest : notnull
{
    Task Process(TRequest request, CancellationToken cancellationToken);
}

public interface IRequestPostProcessor<in TRequest, in TResponse> where TRequest : notnull
{
    Task Process(TRequest request, TResponse response, CancellationToken cancellationToken);
}

Exception

public class HandlerNotFoundException : InvalidOperationException
{
    public Type RequestType { get; }
    public Type? HandlerType { get; }
}

🚀 Roadmap status

Version	Status	Highlights
1.0 – 1.3	✅ Released	Core mediator, notifications, pipelines, pre/post, performance
1.4	✅ Released	.NET Standard 2.0+
1.5	✅ Released	Logging, Validation, ASP.NET Core, Analyzer, exceptions, ordering fixes
1.5.1	✅ Released	`Unit` support for fire-and-forget / void commands (`IRequest` / `IRequest<Unit>`)
1.5.2	✅ Current	Added unified `IMediator` interface (composes `ISender` + `IPublisher`)

Future ideas

Request cancellation / timeout behaviors
Metrics & tracing support
Dynamic / externalized pipeline configuration

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 50 Commits
.github		.github
docs		docs
sample/Interlink.Sample		sample/Interlink.Sample
src		src
test/Interlink.Test		test/Interlink.Test
.gitattributes		.gitattributes
.gitignore		.gitignore
CHANGELOG.md		CHANGELOG.md
CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md		CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
CONTRIBUTING.md		CONTRIBUTING.md
Features.md		Features.md
Interlink-cqrs-library.sln		Interlink-cqrs-library.sln
LICENSE.txt		LICENSE.txt
README.md		README.md
SECURITY.md		SECURITY.md

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Interlink

✨ Features

📦 Installation

⚙️ Setup

📨 Request / Response Pattern

1. Define a request and handler

With response

Without response (using Unit)

2. Send the request

📣 Notifications (Publish / Subscribe)

1. Define a notification

2. Create one or more handlers

3. Publish

🧬 Pipeline Behaviors

Signature (correct order)

Example behavior

Ordering

🔄 Pre and Post Processors

📋 Built-in Logging Behavior

✅ FluentValidation Integration

🌐 ASP.NET Core Integration

🔍 Analyzer (missing handler detection)

📦 API Overview

Core contracts

Unit

Sender, Publisher & Mediator

Pipeline

Pre / Post processors

Exception

🚀 Roadmap status

Future ideas

📜 License

About

Releases

Used by

Contributors

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Repository files navigation

Interlink

✨ Features

📦 Installation

⚙️ Setup

📨 Request / Response Pattern

1. Define a request and handler

With response

Without response (using Unit)

2. Send the request

📣 Notifications (Publish / Subscribe)

1. Define a notification

2. Create one or more handlers

3. Publish

🧬 Pipeline Behaviors

Signature (correct order)

Example behavior

Ordering

🔄 Pre and Post Processors

📋 Built-in Logging Behavior

✅ FluentValidation Integration

🌐 ASP.NET Core Integration

🔍 Analyzer (missing handler detection)

📦 API Overview

Core contracts

Unit

Sender, Publisher & Mediator

Pipeline

Pre / Post processors

Exception

🚀 Roadmap status

Future ideas

📜 License

About

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Resources

Code of conduct

Contributing

Security policy

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