base

The keyword base describes that you would like to refer to the base class for the requested information, not in the current instantiated class.

A base class is the class in which the currently implemented class inherits from. When creating a class with no defined base class, the compiler automatically uses the System.Object base class.

Therefore the two declarations below are equivalent.

public class MyClass
{
}

public class MyClass : System.Object
{
}

Some of the reasons the base keyword is used is:

Passing information to the base class's constructor

public class MyCustomException : System.Exception
{
     public MyCustomException() : base() {}

     public MyCustomerException(string message, Exception innerException) : base(message,innerException) {}

     // ......
}

Recalling variables in the base class, where the newly implemented class is overriding its behaviour

public class MyBaseClass
{
     protected string className = "MyBaseClass";
}

public class MyNewClass : MyBaseClass
{
     protected new string className = "MyNewClass";

     public override string BaseClassName
     {
          get { return base.className; }
     }
}

Recalling methods in the base class. This is useful when you want to add to a method, but still keep the underlying implementation.

// Necessary using's here

public class _Default : System.Web.UI.Page
{
     protected void InitializeCulture()
     {
          System.Threading.Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture =
                              CultureInfo.GetSpecificCulture(Page.UICulture);

          base.InitializeCulture();
     }
}

C# Keywords

`abstract`	`as`	`base`	`bool`	`break`
`byte`	`case`	`catch`	`char`	`checked`
`class`	`const`	`continue`	`decimal`	`default`
`delegate`	`do`	`double`	`else`	`enum`
`event`	`explicit`	`extern`	`false`	`finally`
`fixed`	`float`	`for`	`foreach`	`goto`
`if`	`implicit`	`in`	`int`	`interface`
`internal`	`is`	`lock`	`long`	`namespace`
`new`	`null`	`object`	`operator`	`out`
`override`	`params`	`private`	`protected`	`public`
`readonly`	`ref`	`return`	`sbyte`	`sealed`
`short`	`sizeof`	`stackalloc`	`static`	`string`
`struct`	`switch`	`this`	`throw`	`true`
`try`	`typeof`	`uint`	`ulong`	`unchecked`
`unsafe`	`ushort`	`using`	`var`	`virtual`
`void`	`volatile`	`while`

Special C# Identifiers (Contextual Keywords)

`add`	`alias`	`async`	`await`	`dynamic`
`get`	`global`	`nameof`	`partial`	`remove`
`set`	`value`	`when`	`where`	`yield`

Contextual Keywords (Used in Queries)

`ascending`	`by`	`descending`	`equals`	`from`
`group`	`in`	`into`	`join`	`let`
`on`	`orderby`	`select`	`where`

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