C# Dictionary Methods Guide
can you tell me about c# dictionaries and some common methods for c# dictionaries? basically
everything I need to know as a beginner
C# Dictionaries Overview
A dictionary in C# is a collection type that stores key-value pairs. It's part of the
[Link] namespace. Each key in a dictionary must be unique, and each key is
associated with a value.
Namespace: `[Link]`
Class: `Dictionary<TKey, TValue>`
Key Characteristics
1. Unique Keys: Each key must be unique.
2. Fast Lookup: Provides fast access to values based on keys (using a hash table).
3. Generic: You define the types of the keys (`TKey`) and values (`TValue`) when creating the
dictionary.
Creating a Dictionary
csharp
using System;
using [Link];
class Program
{
static void Main()
{
// Create a dictionary
Dictionary<int, string> students = new Dictionary<int, string>();
// Adding key-value pairs
[Link](1, "Alice");
[Link](2, "Bob");
[Link](3, "Charlie");
// Accessing values
[Link](students[1]); // Output: Alice
}
}
Common Methods for Dictionaries
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Here’s a list of some commonly used methods and properties:
1. Add(Key, Value)
Adds a key-value pair to the dictionary.
Throws an exception if the key already exists.
csharp
[Link](4, "David");
2. ContainsKey(Key)
Checks if a specific key exists in the dictionary.
csharp
bool hasKey = [Link](2); // true
3. ContainsValue(Value)
Checks if a specific value exists in the dictionary.
csharp
bool hasValue = [Link]("Bob"); // true
4. Remove(Key)
Removes the key-value pair with the specified key.
csharp
[Link](3);
5. TryGetValue(Key, out Value)
Tries to get the value associated with the key. If the key exists, returns true and assigns the value to
`out`. Otherwise, returns false.
csharp
if ([Link](1, out string value))
{
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[Link](value); // Output: Alice
}
6. Count
Gets the number of key-value pairs in the dictionary.
csharp
int count = [Link];
7. Keys and Values
Retrieves all keys or values.
csharp
foreach (int key in [Link])
{
[Link](key);
}
foreach (string value in [Link])
{
[Link](value);
}
8. Clear()
Removes all elements from the dictionary.
csharp
[Link]();
Iterating Through a Dictionary
You can iterate through key-value pairs using a `foreach` loop.
csharp
foreach (KeyValuePair<int, string> kvp in dictionary)
{
[Link]($"Key: {[Link]}, Value: {[Link]}");
}
Example: Practical Usage
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csharp
using System;
using [Link];
class Program
{
static void Main()
{
// Create and populate dictionary
Dictionary<string, int> inventory = new Dictionary<string, int>
{
{ "Apples", 10 },
{ "Oranges", 5 },
{ "Bananas", 20 }
};
// Check if a key exists
if ([Link]("Apples"))
{
[Link]($"Apples: {inventory["Apples"]}");
}
// Update value
inventory["Oranges"] += 5;
// Remove an item
[Link]("Bananas");
// Display inventory
foreach (var item in inventory)
{
[Link]($"{[Link]}: {[Link]}");
}
}
}
Output:
makefile
Apples: 10
Apples: 10
Oranges: 10
Things to Keep in Mind
1. Key Equality: The type of the key must implement a proper equality comparison (usually
`Equals()` and `GetHashCode()`).
2. Exceptions: Adding a duplicate key with `Add()` throws an exception. Use `TryAdd()` or
`ContainsKey()` to avoid this.
3. Default Values: Accessing a non-existent key with `dictionary[key]` throws a
`KeyNotFoundException`. Use `TryGetValue()` instead.
Let me know if you'd like examples or explanations of any specific part in more depth!
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