Close() or Dispose(): Which Method Should I Use for Stream Objects?

Should I Call Close() or Dispose() for Stream Objects?

Stream objects, such as Stream, StreamReader, and StreamWriter, implement the IDisposable interface. They also have a public method called Close(). The distinction between these methods can be confusing.

Method Implementation

Using Reflector.NET, we can examine the Close() method implementations for StreamWriter and StreamReader:

// StreamWriter
public override void Close()
{
    this.Dispose(true);
    GC.SuppressFinalize(this);
}

// StreamReader
public override void Close()
{
    this.Dispose(true);
}

The Dispose(bool disposing) method for StreamReader:

protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)
{
    if ((this.Closable && disposing) && (this.stream != null))
    {
        this.stream.Close();
    }
    if (this.Closable && (this.stream != null))
    {
        this.stream = null;
        base.Dispose(disposing);
    }
}

Similarly for StreamWriter, the Close() method simply calls Dispose(true) internally.

Equivalence of Close() and Dispose()

From the code, it's evident that you can call both Close() and Dispose() on streams without affecting their behavior. They are equivalent methods.

Best Practices

While Close() and Dispose() are interchangeable, it's recommended to use:

• using ( ... ) { ... }: Simplifies cleanup and avoids resource leaks. However, it may reduce readability due to nested curly braces.
• use (var stream = ...) { / code / stream.Close(); }: This approach combines the benefits of using ( ... ) { ... } and explicitly calling Close(). It enhances readability and ensures proper cleanup.

Conclusion

Whether to use Close() or Dispose() is a matter of preference and readability. Both methods are supported and have equivalent functionality for stream objects. The recommended practice is to use using ( ... ) { ... } when possible and explicitly call Close() when necessary to improve code clarity.

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