ObservableCollection vs. BindingList: When Should I Use Each?

Differences and choices between ObservableCollection and BindingList

In object-oriented programming, data binding is a powerful technique that allows automatic synchronization between data sources and user interfaces (UI). ObservableCollection and BindingList are two commonly used data binding classes, but understanding their differences is crucial to making the right choice.

Main differences

1. Notification mechanism:

ObservableCollection mainly implements the INotifyCollectionChanged interface and provides change notifications for adding or deleting items. This is enough for basic UI updates based on collection changes.

In contrast, BindingList implements the IBindingList interface, providing a wider range of notifications, including:

• Sort
• Search
• Factory based project addition
• Read-only list access

2. Project change propagation:

BindingList not only notifies changes to the collection itself, but also propagates property changes to items that implement INotifyPropertyChanged. And ObservableCollection will not propagate item property changes.

3. Additional functions:

BindingList Provides additional functionality beyond collection change notifications, for example:

• Sort and filter items
• Create a custom project factory
• Control read-only status
• Raises special ListChangedEvent types
for specific operations

When to use which:

• For simple data binding and automatic UI updates based on collection changes, ObservableCollection is suitable.
• If you need advanced features such as sorting, searching, or propagation of project property changes, BindingList is the first choice.

To summarize, ObservableCollection provides basic collection change notifications for simple data binding scenarios. BindingList Provides more comprehensive functionality for advanced data binding needs, including project property change notifications, sorting, and custom project factories.

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