What are the best practices for using generics in C#?

What are the best practices for using generics in C#?

When using generics in C#, it's important to ensure type safety, avoid code duplication, and improve performance. Always use constraints to limit the types that can be used with your generic classes or methods.

Can you explain what type constraints are?

Type constraints in C# generics allow you to specify the types that can be used as arguments for a generic type parameter. For example, you can use the where keyword to specify that a type must implement a certain interface or inherit from a specific class.

What are some common mistakes to avoid with generics?

Common mistakes include not using constraints when necessary, overusing generics for simple types, and failing to consider performance implications, such as boxing and unboxing with value types.

How can I improve performance when using generics?

To improve performance, minimize boxing and unboxing by using generic types with value types directly, and consider using struct instead of class when appropriate.