C# Compiler optimization - Unused methods

Question

Does C# compiler (in VS2008 or VS2010) remove unused methods while compiling ?

I assume that it may have a problem deciding if public methods will ever be used, so I guess it will compile all the public methods.

But what about private methods that are never used inside a class ?

EDIT:

Are there a set of rules about the compiler's optmization that are documented anywhere ?

Answer 1

Just checked in reflector with a release build. The compiler doesn't remove the unused private methods.

There are ways to use a method without the compiler knowledge, like with reflection. So the compiler doesn't try to guess. It just leaves the methods there.

The only private methods the compiler removes are partial methods without implementation.

For the C# compiler optimizations, look here (archive.org).