SortedList vs. SortedDictionary: When Should I Use Which C# Collection?

Distinguishing SortedList and SortedDictionary

SortedList and SortedDictionary are both essential collections in C# used to efficiently manage sorted key-value pairs. However, they differ significantly in their underlying implementation and performance characteristics.

SortedList: An Array-Based Implementation

SortedList maintains a sorted array as its underlying data structure. This makes it memory-efficient compared to SortedDictionary, which uses a binary search tree. However, its insertion and removal operations have a time complexity of O(n), where n is the number of elements in the list. This is slower than SortedDictionary for unsorted data.

SortedDictionary: A Binary Search Tree Implementation

SortedDictionary utilizes a balanced binary search tree to store its data, allowing for much faster insertion and removal operations, with a time complexity of O(log n). Additionally, it can efficiently handle dynamic data sets that are not initially sorted.

Choosing the Right Collection

The best choice between SortedList and SortedDictionary depends on the specific use case. If memory consumption is critical and the data is static and already sorted, SortedList offers a more efficient solution. However, if faster insertion and removal operations are essential, SortedDictionary is the preferred choice, especially for unsorted data sets.

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