Simplified C# AaC by making it stronly-typed throughout

C4InterFlow.Automation/Writers/CSharpCodeWriter.cs

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 using C4InterFlow.Structures;
 using System.Text;
+using YamlDotNet.Core;
 
 namespace C4InterFlow.Automation.Writers
 {
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ public partial class Containers
             public partial class {containerName} : IContainerInstance
             {{
                 public static Container Instance => new Container(
-                    Utils.GetStructureAlias<{AnyCodeWriter.GetName(containerName)}>(), {AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(label)})
+                    typeof({containerName}), {AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(label)})
                 {{
                     ContainerType = ContainerType.{(!string.IsNullOrEmpty(type) ? type : "None")},
                     Description = {(!string.IsNullOrEmpty(description) ? AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(description) : "\"\"")},
@@ -102,7 +103,7 @@ public string GetSoftwareSystemCode(string architectureNamespace, string name, s
     public partial class {softwareSystemName} : ISoftwareSystemInstance
     {{
         public static SoftwareSystem Instance => new SoftwareSystem(
-            Utils.GetStructureAlias<{AnyCodeWriter.GetName(softwareSystemName)}>(), {AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(label)})
+            typeof({softwareSystemName}), {AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(label)})
         {{
             Description = {(!string.IsNullOrEmpty(description) ? AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(description) : "\"\"")},
             Boundary = Boundary.{(!string.IsNullOrEmpty(boundary) ? boundary : "Internal")}
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ public string GetActorCode(string architectureNamespace, string type, string nam
     public class {actorName} : I{type}Instance
     {{
         public static {type} Instance => new {type}(
-            Utils.GetStructureAlias<{AnyCodeWriter.GetName(actorName)}>(), {AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(label)})
+            typeof({actorName}), {AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(label)})
         {{
             Description = {(description != null ? description : "\"\"")},
         }};
@@ -159,7 +160,7 @@ public partial class Components
                     public partial class {componentName} : IComponentInstance
                     {{
                         public static Component Instance => new Component(
-                            Utils.GetStructureAlias<{componentName}>(), {AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(label)})
+                            typeof({componentName}), {AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(label)})
                         {{
                             ComponentType = ComponentType.{componentType},
                             Description = {(!string.IsNullOrEmpty(description) ? AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(description) : "\"\"")},
@@ -236,13 +237,13 @@ public partial class Interfaces
                             public partial class {componentInterfaceName} : IInterfaceInstance
                             {{
                                 public static Interface Instance => new Interface(
-                                    Utils.GetStructureAlias<{componentInterfaceName}>(), {AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(label)})
+                                    typeof({componentInterfaceName}), {AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(label)})
                                 {{
                                     Description = {(description != null ? AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(description) : "\"\"")},
                                     Path = {(path != null ? AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(path) : "\"\"")},
                                     IsPrivate = {(isPrivate != null ? isPrivate.ToString().ToLower() : "false")},
                                     Protocol =  {(protocol != null ? AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(protocol) : "\"\"")},
-                                    Flow = new Flow(Utils.GetStructureAlias<{componentInterfaceName}>()),
+                                    Flow = new Flow(Interface.GetAlias<{componentInterfaceName}>()),
                                     Input = {(input != null ? input : "\"\"")},
                                     InputTemplate = {(inputTemplate != null ? inputTemplate : "\"\"")},
                                     Output = {(output != null ? output : "\"\"")},
@@ -278,10 +279,10 @@ public partial class Interfaces
                     public partial class {containerInterfaceName} : IInterfaceInstance
                     {{
                         public static Interface Instance => new Interface(
-                            Utils.GetStructureAlias<{containerInterfaceName}>(), {AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(label)})
+                            typeof({containerInterfaceName}), {AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(label)})
                         {{
                             Description = {(description != null ? AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(description) : "\"\"")},
-                            Flow = new Flow(Utils.GetStructureAlias<{containerInterfaceName}>()),
+                            Flow = new Flow(Interface.GetAlias<{containerInterfaceName}>()),
                             Protocol = {(protocol != null ? AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(protocol) : "\"\"")},
                             Input = {(input != null ? input : "\"\"")},
                             InputTemplate = {(inputTemplate != null ? inputTemplate : "\"\"")},
@@ -312,10 +313,10 @@ public partial class Interfaces
             public partial class {softwareSystemInterfaceName} : IInterfaceInstance
             {{
                 public static Interface Instance => new Interface(
-                    Utils.GetStructureAlias<{softwareSystemInterfaceName}>(), {AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(label)})
+                    typeof({softwareSystemInterfaceName}), {AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(label)})
                 {{
                     Description = {(description != null ? AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(description) : "\"\"")},
-                    Flow = new Flow(Utils.GetStructureAlias<{softwareSystemInterfaceName}>()),
+                    Flow = new Flow(Interface.GetAlias<{softwareSystemInterfaceName}>()),
                     Protocol = {(protocol != null ? AnyCodeWriter.EnsureDoubleQuotes(protocol) : "\"\"")},
                     Input = {(input != null ? input : "\"\"")},
                     InputTemplate = {(inputTemplate != null ? inputTemplate : "\"\"")},
@@ -493,7 +494,7 @@ private string GetFormattedParams(string @params)
 
         public string GetUseFlowCode(string alias)
         {
-            return $"\t.Use(\"{alias}\")";
+            return $"\t.Use<{alias}>()";
         }
 
         public string GetBusinessProcessCode(string architectureNamespace, string name, string label, string businessActivitiesCode, string? description = null)

C4InterFlow/Structures/Component.cs

@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-namespace C4InterFlow.Structures;
+using C4InterFlow.Structures.Interfaces;
+
+namespace C4InterFlow.Structures;
 
 /// <summary>
 /// The word "component" is a hugely overloaded term in the software development industry, but in this context a
@@ -17,6 +19,10 @@ public record Component : Structure
     public string Container { get; init; }
     public Note[]? Notes { get; init; }
 
+    public Component(Type type) : this(GetAlias(type), Utils.GetLabelFromAlias(GetAlias(type)))
+    { }
+    public Component(Type type, string label) : this(GetAlias(type), label)
+    { }
     public Component(string alias) : this(alias, Utils.GetLabelFromAlias(alias))
     { }
     public Component(string alias, string label) : this(Utils.GetContainerAlias(alias), alias, label)
@@ -27,4 +33,17 @@ public Component(string container, string alias, string label) : base(alias, lab
         ComponentType = ComponentType.None;
     }
 
+    public static string GetAlias<T>() where T : IComponentInstance
+    {
+        return Utils.GetStructureAlias<T>();
+    }
+
+    public static string GetAlias(Type type)
+    {
+        if (!typeof(IComponentInstance).IsAssignableFrom(type))
+            throw new ArgumentException($"Expected '{typeof(IComponentInstance).FullName}' type, but '{type.FullName}' type provided.", nameof(type));
+
+        return Utils.GetStructureAlias(type);
+    }
+
 }

C4InterFlow/Structures/Container.cs

@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-namespace C4InterFlow.Structures;
+using C4InterFlow.Structures.Interfaces;
+
+namespace C4InterFlow.Structures;
 
 /// <summary>
 /// Not Docker! In the C4 model, a container represents an application or a data store. A container is something
@@ -17,6 +19,10 @@ public record Container : Structure
     public string? Technology { get; init; }
     public string SoftwareSystem { get; init; }
 
+    public Container(Type type) : this(GetAlias(type), Utils.GetLabelFromAlias(GetAlias(type)))
+    { }
+    public Container(Type type, string label) : this(GetAlias(type), label)
+    { }
     public Container(string alias) : this(alias, Utils.GetLabelFromAlias(alias))
     { }
     public Container(string alias, string label) : this(Utils.GetSoftwareSystemAlias(alias), alias, label)
@@ -26,4 +32,17 @@ public Container(string system, string alias, string label) : base(alias, label)
         SoftwareSystem = system;
         ContainerType = ContainerType.None;
     }
+
+    public static string GetAlias<T>() where T : IContainerInstance
+    {
+        return Utils.GetStructureAlias<T>();
+    }
+
+    public static string GetAlias(Type type)
+    {
+        if (!typeof(IContainerInstance).IsAssignableFrom(type))
+            throw new ArgumentException($"Expected '{typeof(IContainerInstance).FullName}' type, but '{type.FullName}' type provided.", nameof(type));
+
+        return Utils.GetStructureAlias(type);
+    }
 }

C4InterFlow/Structures/Entity.cs

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-using System.ComponentModel;
+using C4InterFlow.Structures.Interfaces;
+using System.ComponentModel;
 
 namespace C4InterFlow.Structures
 {
@@ -22,12 +23,34 @@ public enum EntityType
 
     public record Entity : Structure
     {
+        public Entity(Type type, EntityType entityType) : this(GetAlias(type), Utils.GetLabelFromAlias(GetAlias(type)), entityType)
+        { }
+        public Entity(Type type, string label, EntityType entityType) : this(GetAlias(type), label, entityType)
+        { }
+        public Entity(string alias, EntityType entityType) : this(alias, Utils.GetLabelFromAlias(alias), entityType)
+        { }
+        public Entity(string alias, string label, EntityType entityType) : this(Utils.GetContainerAlias(alias), alias, label, entityType)
+        { }
         public Entity(string container, string alias, string label, EntityType entityType)
             : base(alias, label)
         {
             EntityType = entityType;
             Container = container;
         }
+
+        public static string GetAlias<T>() where T : IEntityInstance
+        {
+            return Utils.GetStructureAlias<T>();
+        }
+
+        public static string GetAlias(Type type)
+        {
+            if (!typeof(IEntityInstance).IsAssignableFrom(type))
+                throw new ArgumentException($"Expected '{typeof(IEntityInstance).FullName}' type, but '{type.FullName}' type provided.", nameof(type));
+
+            return Utils.GetStructureAlias(type);
+        }
+
         public EntityType EntityType { get; init; }
         public string Container { get; init; }
         public string[] ComposedOfMany { get; init; }

C4InterFlow/Structures/Flow.cs

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 
+using C4InterFlow.Structures.Interfaces;
 using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
 
 namespace C4InterFlow.Structures
@@ -513,6 +514,10 @@ public Flow Return(string value)
             return this;
         }
 
+        public Flow Use<T>() where T : IInterfaceInstance
+        {
+            return Use(Interface.GetAlias<T>());
+        }
         public Flow Use(string interfaceAlias)
         {
             var flowType = FlowType.Use;

C4InterFlow/Structures/Interface.cs

@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
-namespace C4InterFlow.Structures
+using C4InterFlow.Structures.Interfaces;
+
+namespace C4InterFlow.Structures
 {
     public record Interface : Structure
     {
+        public Interface(Type type) : this(GetAlias(type), Utils.GetLabelFromAlias(GetAlias(type)))
+        { }
+        public Interface(Type type, string label) : this(GetAlias(type), label)
+        { }
         public Interface(string alias) : this(alias, Utils.GetLabelFromAlias(alias))
         { }
         public Interface(string alias, string label) : this(Utils.GetInterfaceOwnerAlias(alias), alias, label)
@@ -11,6 +17,19 @@ public Interface(string owner, string alias, string label) : base(alias, label)
             Owner = owner;
         }
 
+        public static string GetAlias<T>() where T : IInterfaceInstance
+        {
+            return Utils.GetStructureAlias<T>();
+        }
+
+        public static string GetAlias(Type type)
+        {
+            if (!typeof(IInterfaceInstance).IsAssignableFrom(type))
+                throw new ArgumentException($"Expected '{typeof(IInterfaceInstance).FullName}' type, but '{type.FullName}' type provided.", nameof(type));
+
+            return Utils.GetStructureAlias(type);
+        }
+
         public string Protocol { get; init; }
         public bool IsPrivate { get; init; }
         public string Path { get; init; }

C4InterFlow/Structures/SoftwareSystem.cs

@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-namespace C4InterFlow.Structures;
+using C4InterFlow.Structures.Interfaces;
+
+namespace C4InterFlow.Structures;
 
 /// <summary>
 /// A software system is the highest level of abstraction and describes something that delivers value to its users,
@@ -9,6 +11,10 @@
 /// </summary>
 public sealed record SoftwareSystem : Structure
 {
+    public SoftwareSystem(Type type) : this(GetAlias(type), Utils.GetLabelFromAlias(GetAlias(type)))
+    { }
+    public SoftwareSystem(Type type, string label) : this(GetAlias(type), label)
+    { }
     public SoftwareSystem(string alias) : this(alias, Utils.GetLabelFromAlias(alias))
     { }
     public SoftwareSystem(string alias, string label) : base(alias, label)
@@ -24,4 +30,17 @@ public SoftwareSystem(string alias, string label, string description, Boundary b
         Description = description;
         Boundary = boundary;
     }
+
+    public static string GetAlias<T>() where T : ISoftwareSystemInstance
+    {
+        return Utils.GetStructureAlias<T>();
+    }
+
+    public static string GetAlias(Type type)
+    {
+        if (!typeof(ISoftwareSystemInstance).IsAssignableFrom(type))
+            throw new ArgumentException($"Expected '{typeof(ISoftwareSystemInstance).FullName}' type, but '{type.FullName}' type provided.", nameof(type));
+
+        return Utils.GetStructureAlias(type);
+    }
 }

C4InterFlow/Utils.cs

@@ -53,7 +53,12 @@ public static string GetContainerAlias(string alias)
 
         public static string GetStructureAlias<T>()
         {
-            return typeof(T).FullName?.Replace('+', '.') ?? string.Empty;
+            return GetStructureAlias(typeof(T));
+        }
+
+        public static string GetStructureAlias(Type type)
+        {
+            return type.FullName?.Replace('+', '.') ?? string.Empty;
         }
 
         public static string GetSoftwareSystemAlias(string alias)

Samples/dotnet.eShop/DotNetEShop/SoftwareSystems/BasketApi.cs

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ namespace DotNetEShop.SoftwareSystems
 {
     public partial class BasketApi : ISoftwareSystemInstance
     {
-        public static SoftwareSystem Instance => new SoftwareSystem(Utils.GetStructureAlias<BasketApi>(), "Basket Api")
+        public static SoftwareSystem Instance => new SoftwareSystem(typeof(BasketApi), "Basket Api")
         {
             Description = "",
             Boundary = Boundary.Internal

Samples/dotnet.eShop/DotNetEShop/SoftwareSystems/BasketApi/Containers/Data.cs

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ public partial class Containers
         {
             public partial class Data : IContainerInstance
             {
-                public static Container Instance => new Container(Utils.GetStructureAlias<Data>(), "Data")
+                public static Container Instance => new Container(typeof(Data), "Data")
                 {
                     ContainerType = ContainerType.None,
                     Description = "",

Samples/dotnet.eShop/DotNetEShop/SoftwareSystems/BasketApi/Containers/Data/Components/RedisBasketRepository.cs

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ public partial class Components
                 {
                     public partial class RedisBasketRepository : IComponentInstance
                     {
-                        public static Component Instance => new Component(Utils.GetStructureAlias<RedisBasketRepository>(), "Redis Basket Repository")
+                        public static Component Instance => new Component(typeof(RedisBasketRepository), "Redis Basket Repository")
                         {
                             ComponentType = ComponentType.None,
                             Description = "",

Samples/dotnet.eShop/DotNetEShop/SoftwareSystems/BasketApi/Containers/Data/Components/RedisBasketRepository/Interfaces/DeleteBasketAsync.cs

@@ -19,15 +19,15 @@ public partial class Interfaces
                         {
                             public partial class DeleteBasketAsync : IInterfaceInstance
                             {
-                                public static Interface Instance => new Interface(Utils.GetStructureAlias<DeleteBasketAsync>(), "Delete Basket Async")
+                                public static Interface Instance => new Interface(typeof(DeleteBasketAsync), "Delete Basket Async")
                                 {
                                     Description = "",
                                     Path = "",
                                     IsPrivate = false,
                                     Protocol = "",
-                                    Flow = new Flow(Utils.GetStructureAlias<DeleteBasketAsync>())
-                                    	.Use("DotNetEShop.SoftwareSystems.BasketApi.Containers.Data.Components.RedisBasketRepository.Interfaces.GetBasketKey")
-                                    	.Use("DotNetEShop.SoftwareSystems.BasketApi.Containers.Data.Components.RedisDatabase.Interfaces.KeyDeleteAsync"),
+                                    Flow = new Flow(Interface.GetAlias<DeleteBasketAsync>())
+                                    	.Use<DotNetEShop.SoftwareSystems.BasketApi.Containers.Data.Components.RedisBasketRepository.Interfaces.GetBasketKey>()
+                                    	.Use<DotNetEShop.SoftwareSystems.BasketApi.Containers.Data.Components.RedisDatabase.Interfaces.KeyDeleteAsync>(),
                                     Input = "",
                                     InputTemplate = "",
                                     Output = "",

Samples/dotnet.eShop/DotNetEShop/SoftwareSystems/BasketApi/Containers/Data/Components/RedisBasketRepository/Interfaces/GetBasketAsync.cs

@@ -19,15 +19,15 @@ public partial class Interfaces
                         {
                             public partial class GetBasketAsync : IInterfaceInstance
                             {
-                                public static Interface Instance => new Interface(Utils.GetStructureAlias<GetBasketAsync>(), "Get Basket Async")
+                                public static Interface Instance => new Interface(typeof(GetBasketAsync), "Get Basket Async")
                                 {
                                     Description = "",
                                     Path = "",
                                     IsPrivate = false,
                                     Protocol = "",
-                                    Flow = new Flow(Utils.GetStructureAlias<GetBasketAsync>())
-                                    	.Use("DotNetEShop.SoftwareSystems.BasketApi.Containers.Data.Components.RedisBasketRepository.Interfaces.GetBasketKey")
-                                    	.Use("DotNetEShop.SoftwareSystems.BasketApi.Containers.Data.Components.RedisDatabase.Interfaces.StringGetLeaseAsync")
+                                    Flow = new Flow(Interface.GetAlias<GetBasketAsync>())
+                                    	.Use<DotNetEShop.SoftwareSystems.BasketApi.Containers.Data.Components.RedisBasketRepository.Interfaces.GetBasketKey>()
+                                    	.Use<DotNetEShop.SoftwareSystems.BasketApi.Containers.Data.Components.RedisDatabase.Interfaces.StringGetLeaseAsync>()
                                     	.Return(@"JsonSerializer.Deserialize"),
                                     Input = "",
                                     InputTemplate = "",