Are Arrays in C# Reference Types or Value Types?

Arrays in C#: Reference type or value type?

A deep understanding of data types is essential for programming. A common problem arises when dealing with arrays, especially primitive data types like int. Although int is a value type, what happens when we create an array of int?

When working with arrays of value types, it is important to note that arrays themselves are fundamentally reference types, even if the elements they contain are value types. This is because arrays are allocated on the managed heap and the variable representing the array holds a reference to the actual array, rather than the array itself.

When passing an array to a function, you have two options:

• Passing an array directly: This is equivalent to passing a reference to an existing array. Any changes made to the array elements in the function will be reflected in the caller's array.
• Passing an array as a ref: This method is typically used when you wish to modify the array itself (i.e. change its length or contents) within a function. In this case, the function can access the array directly instead of making a copy.

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