What are the performance trade-offs of different C# collections?

What are the performance trade-offs of different C# collections?

In C#, different collections like List, Dictionary, and HashSet have unique performance characteristics. For example, Lists are great for indexed access but slow for searches, while Dictionaries offer fast lookups at the cost of higher memory usage.

Can you explain when to use a List versus a HashSet?

Use a List when you need ordered elements and frequent access by index. A HashSet is better for unique items and fast lookups without caring about order.

What about the performance of a Dictionary?

Dictionaries provide O(1) average time complexity for lookups, insertions, and deletions, making them ideal for scenarios where you need fast access to key-value pairs.

Are there any downsides to using a Dictionary?

Yes, Dictionaries consume more memory than Lists or HashSets due to their internal structure, and they can have performance issues if there are many hash collisions.