structs are not necessarily faster, performance depends on the scenario. struct is the value type, assignment copy the entire structure, class is the reference type, assignment copy only the reference. The struct is usually allocated on the stack, and the fast but frequent passing of large structures will increase the replication overhead, and the class allocation involves GC pressure on the heap. Small structs are suitable for high-performance and cache-friendly scenarios, and large structs should be avoided or passed with ref/in. The compact memory of the struct array is conducive to caching, and the class array references are scattered to affect efficiency. Scenarios where struct are preferred: small data, short life cycle, no inheritance or virtual methods are required. Avoid scenarios where structs are used: large structure, complex logic, polymorphic, frequent packing, and shared state. Performance differences are not absolute, and rational selection of scenarios is the key.
When discussing the performance differences between struct and class in C#, many people will subconsciously say "struct is faster", but the actual situation is much more complicated. Performance depends on the usage scenario, especially in terms of memory allocation, copy cost and access mode.

The essential difference between value type vs reference type
struct is the value type and class is the reference type. This means:
- struct instances store data directly , and the entire structure will be copied when assigned values between variables.
- The class instance stores references , multiple variables can point to the same object, and assignments are just copying references.
This difference directly affects memory usage and performance. For example, frequent passing of struct variables may result in additional replication overhead, while class does not.

Memory allocation: stack vs heap overhead
- struct is usually allocated on the stack (unless boxed or nested in a class), and is allocated and released quickly without the need for garbage collector intervention.
- class is always allocated on the heap , and both creation and recycling involve GC, especially when creating short lifecycle objects frequently, which can bring performance pressure.
But be aware that struct is also assigned to the heap if it is boxed (for example assigning a value to an object type variable), which brings additional overhead.
For example:

struct Point { public int X, Y; } Point p1 = new Point { X = 1, Y = 2 }; object o = p1; // Packing operation, performance loss
Copy cost: Small structures are beneficial, while large structures become burdens
struct will copy the entire structure when assigning values and passing arguments. If the structure is small (such as several ints or floats) , this copy operation is almost negligible and is even faster than the heap allocation. But if the structure is large (such as containing an array or multiple fields), the copy cost will increase significantly.
suggestion:
- struct should be kept small and simple.
- Avoid frequent passing of large structs, you can use
ref
orin
to avoid copying.
void Process(in MyLargeStruct value) { ... } // Use in to avoid copying
Cache locality: struct is more suitable for dense data structures
When it is necessary to process large amounts of data, the memory layout of struct is more compact and the cache hit rate is higher. For example, in graphics processing and mathematical calculations, using struct arrays has more advantages than class arrays.
For example:
Vector3[] positions = new Vector3[100000]; // Continuous memory layout, conducive to cache
The class array stores references, and the actual objects may be scattered in different locations of the heap, affecting the CPU cache efficiency.
To summarize the usage suggestions:
-
? Priority to use struct:
- Small data volume and short life cycle.
- No inheritance or virtual methods are required.
- High performance and cache-friendly scenarios are required.
-
? Avoid struct:
- The structure is larger or contains complex logic.
- Needs polymorphism or needs frequent boxing.
- Variability is required and multiple references are referenced.
Basically that's it. The performance difference between struct and class is not absolute, the key lies in the rational use scenarios. It is not complicated but easy to ignore that the performance advantages of struct only hold under certain conditions , otherwise it may slow down the program.
The above is the detailed content of C# struct vs class performance comparison. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Hot AI Tools

Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free

Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Article

Hot Tools

Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor

SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use

Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment

Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools

SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)

Hot Topics

CustomAttributes are mechanisms used in C# to attach metadata to code elements. Its core function is to inherit the System.Attribute class and read through reflection at runtime to implement functions such as logging, permission control, etc. Specifically, it includes: 1. CustomAttributes are declarative information, which exists in the form of feature classes, and are often used to mark classes, methods, etc.; 2. When creating, you need to define a class inherited from Attribute, and use AttributeUsage to specify the application target; 3. After application, you can obtain feature information through reflection, such as using Attribute.GetCustomAttribute();

The core of designing immutable objects and data structures in C# is to ensure that the state of the object is not modified after creation, thereby improving thread safety and reducing bugs caused by state changes. 1. Use readonly fields and cooperate with constructor initialization to ensure that the fields are assigned only during construction, as shown in the Person class; 2. Encapsulate the collection type, use immutable collection interfaces such as ReadOnlyCollection or ImmutableList to prevent external modification of internal collections; 3. Use record to simplify the definition of immutable model, and generate read-only attributes and constructors by default, suitable for data modeling; 4. It is recommended to use System.Collections.Imm when creating immutable collection operations.

When processing large amounts of data, C# can be efficient through streaming, parallel asynchronous and appropriate data structures. 1. Use streaming processing to read one by one or in batches, such as StreamReader or EFCore's AsAsyncEnumerable to avoid memory overflow; 2. Use parallel (Parallel.ForEach/PLINQ) and asynchronous (async/await Task.Run) reasonably to control the number of concurrency and pay attention to thread safety; 3. Select efficient data structures (such as Dictionary, HashSet) and serialization libraries (such as System.Text.Json, MessagePack) to reduce search time and serialization overhead.

The key to writing C# code well is maintainability and testability. Reasonably divide responsibilities, follow the single responsibility principle (SRP), and take data access, business logic and request processing by Repository, Service and Controller respectively to improve structural clarity and testing efficiency. Multi-purpose interface and dependency injection (DI) facilitate replacement implementation, extension of functions and simulation testing. Unit testing should isolate external dependencies and use Mock tools to verify logic to ensure fast and stable execution. Standardize naming and splitting small functions to improve readability and maintenance efficiency. Adhering to the principles of clear structure, clear responsibilities and test-friendly can significantly improve development efficiency and code quality.

Create custom middleware in ASP.NETCore, which can be implemented by writing classes and registering. 1. Create a class containing the InvokeAsync method, handle HttpContext and RequestDelegatenext; 2. Register with UseMiddleware in Program.cs. Middleware is suitable for general operations such as logging, performance monitoring, exception handling, etc. Unlike MVC filters, it acts on the entire application and does not rely on the controller. Rational use of middleware can improve structural flexibility, but should avoid affecting performance.

The following points should be followed when using LINQ: 1. Priority is given to LINQ when using declarative data operations such as filtering, converting or aggregating data to avoid forced use in scenarios with side effects or performance-critical scenarios; 2. Understand the characteristics of delayed execution, source set modifications may lead to unexpected results, and delays or execution should be selected according to requirements; 3. Pay attention to performance and memory overhead, chain calls may generate intermediate objects, and performance-sensitive codes can be replaced by loops or spans; 4. Keep the query concise and easy to read, and split complex logic into multiple steps to avoid excessive nesting and mixing of multiple operations.

Reflection is a function in C# for dynamic analysis and modification of program structures at runtime. Its core functions include obtaining type information, dynamically creating objects, calling methods, and checking assembly. Common application scenarios include: 1. Automatically bind the data model, such as mapping dictionary data to class instances; 2. Implement the plug-in system, loading external DLLs and calling its interface; 3. Supporting automated testing and logging, such as executing specific feature methods or automatically recording logs. When using it, you need to pay attention to performance overhead, encapsulation corruption and debugging difficulties. Optimization methods include caching type information, using delegates to improve call efficiency, and generating IL code. Rational use of reflection can improve the flexibility and versatility of the system.

Generic constraints are used to restrict type parameters to ensure specific behavior or inheritance relationships, while covariation allows subtype conversion. For example, whereT:IComparable ensures that T is comparable; covariation such as IEnumerable allows IEnumerable to be converted to IEnumerable, but it is only read and cannot be modified. Common constraints include class, struct, new(), base class and interface, and multiple constraints are separated by commas; covariation requires the out keyword and is only applicable to interfaces and delegates, which is different from inverter (in keyword). Note that covariance does not support classes, cannot be converted at will, and constraints affect flexibility.
