将静态方法的修饰符从内部更改为公共是否是重大变化？

Question

If I change the access modifier of the static method within a public class from internal to public, will it break the external assembles which call the method?

NOTES : the internal method can be called by an external assembly with the use of InternalsVisibleTo attribute:

[assembly: InternalsVisibleTo("TheExternalAssembly")]    
namespace TheAssemblyWithInternalMethod 

Answer 1

It is possible.

Imagine this shared library code:

namespace SharedLibrary
{

    public class SharedLibraryClassOne
    {
        public static void PotentialCollisionMethod()
        {
        }

        internal static void SharedLibraryMethodTwo()
        {
        }
    }

    public class SharedLibraryClassTwo
    {
        internal static void PotentialCollisionMethod() 
        {
        }

        public static void SharedLibraryMethodThree()
        {
        }
    }
}

Here is a console app that links to the library:

using static SharedLibrary.SharedLibraryClassOne;
using static SharedLibrary.SharedLibraryClassTwo;

namespace StackOverflowChallenge20160121
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            PotentialCollisionMethod(); // Invokes SharedLibraryClassOne.PotentialCollisionMethod
            SharedLibraryMethodThree();
        }
    }
}

This all compiles. But, if I change SharedLibraryClassTwo.PotentialCollisionMethod from internal to public, my dependent application no longer compiles.

Simply by making an internal method public, I get the following error in previously compiling code:

error CS0121: The call is ambiguous between the following methods or properties: 'SharedLibraryClassOne.PotentialCollisionMethod()' and 'SharedLibraryClassTwo.PotentialCollisionMethod()'

Answer 2

Errr... NO ? If it's internal, there are no external callers yet. To them, it looks like a method was added, which should be a non-breaking change.

Answer 3

Uhm, as internal is already saying. The method cannot be accessed from other assemblies. Some additional info .

So no, it won't break anything. It will offer new opportunities.

Answer 4

No it wont break while changing from internal to public. If it was vice versa there is a higher probability of breaking the code. Your could refer to Jeffrey Richter book Clr via C# where its clearly mentioning of it. "make the class internal unless I want the class to be publicly exposed outside of my assembly" so hence no problem