Working with Lists in C#: A Comprehensive Guide to the `List` Class

Master the C# `List` class for efficient and flexible data storage. This tutorial covers list creation, adding and removing elements, accessing elements using indexers, iterating through lists, and utilizing collection initializers for concise list population.

Working with Lists in C#

The C# `List` class (part of `System.Collections.Generic`) is a very versatile and commonly used data structure for storing collections of elements of a specific type `T`. It's a dynamic array, meaning its size can grow as needed. Unlike arrays, whose size is fixed at the time of creation, you can add or remove elements easily.

Key Features of `List`

  • Dynamic Size: The list's size can grow or shrink as elements are added or removed.
  • Duplicate Elements Allowed: You can store multiple instances of the same element.
  • Random Access: Access elements by their index using square bracket notation (e.g., `myList[0]`).
  • Easy Element Manipulation: Methods like `Add()`, `Insert()`, `Remove()`, `RemoveAt()` make it simple to work with list elements.

Example 1: Adding Elements Using `Add()`


using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public class ListExample {
    public static void Main(string[] args) {
        List<string> names = new List<string>();
        // Add elements to the list
        names.Add("Alice");
        names.Add("Bob");
        // ... (code to iterate and print elements) ...
    }
}

Example 2: Using Collection Initializers

Collection initializers provide a concise way to create and populate a list:


List<int> numbers = new List<int> { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };