C# - Loop Over Arrays

Loop Over Arrays in C#

Arrays are a fundamental data structure in C#, used to store multiple items of the same type. Iterating over arrays is a common task in programming. C# provides several ways to loop through arrays, each with its own use cases and advantages. Here are all the ways to iterate over arrays in C#:

1. for loop 

The for loop is useful when you need precise control over the iteration process, such as accessing the index of each element.

int[] numbers = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };

for (int i = 0; i < numbers.Length; i++)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Element at index {i} is {numbers[i]}");
}

2. foreach Loop
The foreach loop is the most straightforward way to iterate over all elements in an array. It simplifies the code by eliminating the need for a counter variable.

int[] numbers = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };

foreach (int number in numbers)
{
    Console.WriteLine(number);
}

3.while Loop

A while loop can also be used to iterate through an array. This is useful when the number of iterations is not known in advance or when you need more complex conditions for the loop.

int[] numbers = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };
int i = 0;

while (i < numbers.Length)
{
    Console.WriteLine(numbers[i]);
    i++;
}

4 Array.ForEach Method

The Array.ForEach method simplifies iteration by using an action delegate to perform an operation on each element.

int[] numbers = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };

Array.ForEach(numbers, number => Console.WriteLine(number));

5. Loop Using LINQ

LINQ (Language Integrated Query) provides a powerful and expressive way to work with arrays and collections. The foreach method can be combined with a LINQ query for more complex operations.

int[] numbers = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };

numbers.ToList().ForEach(number => Console.WriteLine(number));

6. Using TPL (Parallel Loop (Parallel.ForEach))

For large arrays or when performance is critical, you can use parallel loops to speed up the iteration process by leveraging multiple processors.

int[] numbers = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };

Parallel.ForEach(numbers, number =>
{
    Console.WriteLine(number);
});