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.NET: Why are names preserved in IL?...easy recfactoring tools?

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  • 02-04-2010 5:20pm
    #1
    pwd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,284 ✭✭✭


    If I open compiled .net assemblies I made in reflector, I can see all the original names of classes, members etc.
    I don't understand why these aren't altered when the assembly is built, with optimize code selected in the configuration.

    I see two obvious effects:

    It makes reverse engineering easier.
    It increases the filesize, which is a consideration in this case (clientside app on webpage)

    Both of these effects are negative. So why does it happen like this?


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    #2
    fasty
    Registered Users Posts: 981 ✭✭✭fasty


    By design. C# is compiled to intermediate bytecode, not machine code. Use an obfuscation tool if you want to make reverse engineering more difficult.


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    #3
    pwd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,284 ✭✭✭pwd


    Yeah I know it is compiled into IL. I would have assumed that selecting the "optimize code" option would replace member names with shorter equivalents though. I was surprised to see it didn't.
    Then again, I suppose in most contexts minimising filesize isn't particularly important.


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    #4
    fasty
    Registered Users Posts: 981 ✭✭✭fasty


    I never really looked into what code optimisations are done, but I'd imagine it's things like unrolling loops and inlining as opposed to stripping out strings.

    But yeah, it's not ideal...


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