MyClass[] array;
List<MyClass> list;

当一个比另一个更可取的情况是什么?,为什么?


当前回答

因为没有人提到:在c#中,数组是一个列表。MyClass[]和List<MyClass>都实现了IList<MyClass>。(例如void Foo(IList<int> Foo)可以像Foo(new[]{1,2,3})或Foo(new List<int>{1,2,3})一样调用)

因此,如果你正在编写一个接受List<MyClass>作为参数的方法,但只使用功能的子集,你可能想声明为IList<MyClass>,以方便调用者。

细节:

为什么数组实现IList? 如何在c#数组部分实现IList<T>?

其他回答

尽管其他答案推荐List<T>,但在处理以下问题时,您将希望使用数组:

图像位图数据 其他底层数据结构(如网络协议)

因为没有人提到:在c#中,数组是一个列表。MyClass[]和List<MyClass>都实现了IList<MyClass>。(例如void Foo(IList<int> Foo)可以像Foo(new[]{1,2,3})或Foo(new List<int>{1,2,3})一样调用)

因此,如果你正在编写一个接受List<MyClass>作为参数的方法,但只使用功能的子集,你可能想声明为IList<MyClass>,以方便调用者。

细节:

为什么数组实现IList? 如何在c#数组部分实现IList<T>?

实际上,我只是想添加一个链接,我很惊讶还没有提到:Eric的Lippert的博客条目“数组被认为有点有害”。

您可以从标题中判断,它建议在任何可行的地方使用集合——但正如Marc正确地指出的那样,在很多地方,数组确实是唯一可行的解决方案。

Lists in .NET are wrappers over arrays, and use an array internally. The time complexity of operations on lists is the same as would be with arrays, however there is a little more overhead with all the added functionality / ease of use of lists (such as automatic resizing and the methods that come with the list class). Pretty much, I would recommend using lists in all cases unless there is a compelling reason not to do so, such as if you need to write extremely optimized code, or are working with other code that is built around arrays.

Another situation not yet mentioned is when one will have a large number of items, each of which consists of a fixed bunch of related-but-independent variables stuck together (e.g. the coordinates of a point, or the vertices of a 3d triangle). An array of exposed-field structures will allow the its elements to be efficiently modified "in place"--something which is not possible with any other collection type. Because an array of structures holds its elements consecutively in RAM, sequential accesses to array elements can be very fast. In situations where code will need to make many sequential passes through an array, an array of structures may outperform an array or other collection of class object references by a factor of 2:1; further, the ability to update elements in place may allow an array of structures to outperform any other kind of collection of structures.

Although arrays are not resizable, it is not difficult to have code store an array reference along with the number of elements that are in use, and replace the array with a larger one as required. Alternatively, one could easily write code for a type which behaved much like a List<T> but exposed its backing store, thus allowing one to say either MyPoints.Add(nextPoint); or MyPoints.Items[23].X += 5;. Note that the latter would not necessarily throw an exception if code tried to access beyond the end of the list, but usage would otherwise be conceptually quite similar to List<T>.