Structs or Classes: Which is Better for Managing 100,000 Small Objects?

Structs vs. Classes for Large Object Collections

Question:

Considering the creation of 100,000 small objects (2-3 properties) stored in a list for value checking and potential updates, is it more efficient and appropriate to use structs or classes?

Answer:

Speed Considerations:

The optimal choice depends on specific requirements and performance metrics. Empirical testing is recommended to determine which approach is faster. Structs may take less heap space but might be slower to copy than references.

Design Considerations:

As a general guideline, consider using structs for objects that are:

• Small
• Logically immutable values
• Used in large quantities

Otherwise, classes are preferred.

Garbage Collection Processing:

Objects on the heap and stack are not processed identically by the garbage collector. Stack objects are considered live by default (roots of the collection), while heap objects must be referenced by live objects to avoid collection. However, both stack and heap objects can refer to other live objects, influencing the determination of the live set.

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