Add this operator to make static string methods into extension methods.

[JustinMinnaar]

It would be nice if existing static methods on the String class could be changed to extension methods.

Then, instead of

   if (String.IsNullOrWhitespace(x)) ...

You would be able to use

    If (x.IsNullOrWhitespace()) ...

This could easily be done by modifying the string library and adding the this operator to the methods.

[huoyaoyuan]

As described in dotnet/csharplang#8363 (reply in thread) , this is not supported by C# language now.

[stephentoub]

#79020

[daiplusplus]

We're not going to add IsNullXx extension methods as they're inherently confusing given that they syntactically look like they're calling a method on an instance that could be null.

A sound argument - but the ergonomics issue remains. What if we had another variation on the . operator (just like ?. and !.) for this situation - which avoids the visual-ambiguity problem - something like ^. or /. and used like so:

```
maybeEmptyOrNullString^.IsNullOrWhitespace()

maybeEmptyOrNullString/.IsNullOrWhitespace()
```

(I suggest ^. or /. because they both kiiinda resemble the delta symbol - as in Voltage ΔV - and I bring that up that's because it's invoking a static member (groan!))

Edit: 2 downvotes already without any explanation? This community is worse than StackOverflow's...

[JustinMinnaar]

I think you may have nailed it. This could provide a shortcut to using the static method, without having to change the static methods that already exist. When typing, having referenced the variable and needing the static method, the IDE could offer the static methods and use the ^ (static) operator to access the method, or property, or field.