We describe the design, construction, calibration, and operation of a relatively simple differential capacitive dilatometer suitable for measurements of thermal expansion and magnetostriction from 300 to below 1K with a low-temperature resolution of about 0.05Å. The design is characterized by an open architecture permitting measurements on small samples with a variety of shapes. Dilatometers of this design have operated successfully with a commercial physical property measurement system, with several types of cryogenic refrigeration systems, in vacuum, in helium exchange gas, and while immersed in liquid helium(magnetostriction only) to temperatures of 30mK and in magnetic fields to 45T.