I implemented a direct connection, LINQ to SQL-like LINQ to Sitecore. And discovered immediatelly how ugly LINQ is implemented in .NET. You’ve to write your own parsing rules around the unclear AST which is generated by this bunch of extension method and lambda’s.

So I tried to do this and at a certain point, I figured out that the best approach would be to create a SQL query, find an ID and ask the Sitecore DataManager to return me the actual item. So then I started runnign through this AST and finally after creating 8 classes, I was able to return a single item where I defined the where clause static. So I stopped. This took to much time.

Later on I discussed my approach with Ole, he has done the same. We hoped that Microsoft would come with a less rough layer when LINQ to Entities came out. Unfortunatelly so far it seems to be rough as well. But it came to late for v6 anyway.

Meanwhile I’ve been investigating what we should change to make maximum use of LINQ to Objects, so you got maximal syntax sugar. Ole approved my suggestions and most likely will it be implemented pretty soon.

When you look at the upcoming releases, we’ll definitelly support new stuff like LINQ, like we’ve done always with the latest and coolest MS technologies. But in which way… ?!

When you want to see my original project, please contact me. I’ll publish it under Sitecore Shared Source license.

As for your point on unified design, I completely agree. LINQ should be done “the LINQ way”

The classes in Sitecore.Linq are merely LINQ to SQL representations of the Sitecore SQL database. Matt, I think you are right about the experimentation – these classes should probably never have been exposed by Sitecore. I would not like for any of us to call Sitecores SQL database directly.

Mark, your DomainObjects project looks really nice, and could easily be extended with code generation. I’m not sure the architecture fits in with LINQ though, especially if we should lean towards the achitecture proposed by Microsoft in LINQ to SQL, and LINQ to Entities (and even in the LINQ to Sharepoint above). I think a unified design is vital for the usability in the framework.

I totally agree that Sitecore should provide LINQ functionality, but can we really wait for Sitecore 7 (or 8)? What would be cool, would be an open source initiative supported by Sitecore itself to provide this functionality.

I am Chris Corcino, right now as a way to learn more about Sitecore and Linq, c# 3.5, and Expression Trees, others developers that work with me and I are working on a simple non production ready Linq for Sitecore. We are doing this for fun.

I would love to participate if you open an OS project on the topic, however, I must clarify that our experience with Sitecore is limited.