Can not get Type of LinkedList`T with Type.GetType(string)

Question

I am able to get type information of List<T> , Dictinary<TK, TVal> etc. by:

Type.GetType("System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.String]")
Type.GetType("System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary`2[System.String,System.String[]]")

But failing to get type information of LinkedList<T> :

Type.GetType("System.Collections.Generic.LinkedList`1[System.String]") // Returns NULL
Type.GetType("System.Collections.Generic.LinkedList`1[[System.String, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089]]") // Also returns NULL

Inspecting the assembly of LinkedList<string>

typeof(LinkedList<decimal>).Assembly

Gives:

System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089

Using .NET Standart 2.0.3.

Answer 1

Try to specify the fully qualified assembly name for System.Collections.Generic.LinkedList 1` type

var type = Type.GetType("System.Collections.Generic.LinkedList`1[System.String], System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089");

or just use assembly name

type = Type.GetType("System.Collections.Generic.LinkedList`1[System.String], System");

List<T> is part of mscorlib.dll , whether LinkedList<T> is part of System.dll

You were almost right here

Type.GetType("System.Collections.Generic.LinkedList`1[[System.String, mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089]]") // Also returns NULL

But you've specified the fully qualified name for generic type parameter, which is System.String type, not for LinkedList .

Answer 2

Apparently, that's because List<> is defined in mscorlib.dll that is automatically being probed, while LinkedList<> is defined in System.dll (from the GAC).

Hence, you have to explicitly denote the assembly name when dynamically loading it:

Type.GetType("System.Collections.Generic.LinkedList`1, System")

From the Documentation :

If the type is in the currently executing assembly or in Mscorlib.dll, it is sufficient to supply the type name qualified by its namespace.