Default Access modifier of a class in C#

Question

The default Access modifier of a class in C# is internal. But on inspecting the class with ildasm it shows class as private.

.class private auto ansi beforefieldinit ConsoleApplication1.Program
    extends [mscorlib]System.Object
    {
    } // end of class ConsoleApplication1.Program

Any idea why?

Answer 1

IL does not have the concept of internal, internal classes are represented as private if they are in the root namespace or assembly if they are nested inside another type.

namespace ConsoleApplication1
{
    internal class ExplicitInternal
    {
        private class ExplicitPrivate
        {
        }

        internal class ExplicitNestedInternal
        {
        }

        public class ExplicitNestedPublic
        {
        }
    }

    public class ExplicitPublic
    {
    }

    class ImplicitInternal
    {
        private class ImplicitPrivate
        {
        }
    }
}

becomes

.namespace ConsoleApplication1
{
    .class private auto ansi beforefieldinit ConsoleApplication1.ExplicitInternal
        extends [mscorlib]System.Object
    {
        .class nested private auto ansi beforefieldinit ExplicitPrivate
            extends [mscorlib]System.Object
        {
        }

        .class nested assembly auto ansi beforefieldinit ExplicitNestedInternal
            extends [mscorlib]System.Object
        {
        }

        .class nested public auto ansi beforefieldinit ExplicitNestedPublic
            extends [mscorlib]System.Object
        {
        }
    }

    .class public auto ansi beforefieldinit ConsoleApplication1.ExplicitPublic
        extends [mscorlib]System.Object
    {
    }

    .class private auto ansi beforefieldinit ConsoleApplication1.ImplicitInternal
        extends [mscorlib]System.Object
    {
        .class nested private auto ansi beforefieldinit ImplicitPrivate
            extends [mscorlib]System.Object
        {
        }
    }
}