System.Collections.Generic Namespace

Visual Studio 2008

The System.Collections.Generic namespace contains interfaces and classes that define generic collections, which allow users to create strongly typed collections that provide better type safety and performance than non-generic strongly typed collections.

Classes

	Class	Description
	Comparer<T>	Provides a base class for implementations of the IComparer<T> generic interface.
	Dictionary<TKey, TValue>	Represents a collection of keys and values.
	Dictionary<TKey, TValue>.KeyCollection	Represents the collection of keys in a Dictionary<TKey, TValue>. This class cannot be inherited.
	Dictionary<TKey, TValue>.ValueCollection	Represents the collection of values in a Dictionary<TKey, TValue>. This class cannot be inherited.
	EqualityComparer<T>	Provides a base class for implementations of the IEqualityComparer<T> generic interface.
	HashSet<T>	Represents a set of values.
	KeyedByTypeCollection<TItem>	Provides a collection whose items are types that serve as keys.
	KeyNotFoundException	The exception that is thrown when the key specified for accessing an element in a collection does not match any key in the collection.
	LinkedList<T>	Represents a doubly linked list.
	LinkedListNode<T>	Represents a node in a LinkedList<T>. This class cannot be inherited.
	List<T>	Represents a strongly typed list of objects that can be accessed by index. Provides methods to search, sort, and manipulate lists.
	Queue<T>	Represents a first-in, first-out collection of objects.
	SortedDictionary<TKey, TValue>	Represents a collection of key/value pairs that are sorted on the key.
	SortedDictionary<TKey, TValue>.KeyCollection	Represents the collection of keys in a SortedDictionary<TKey, TValue>. This class cannot be inherited.
	SortedDictionary<TKey, TValue>.ValueCollection	Represents the collection of values in a SortedDictionary<TKey, TValue>. This class cannot be inherited.
	SortedList<TKey, TValue>	Represents a collection of key/value pairs that are sorted by key based on the associated IComparer<T> implementation.
	Stack<T>	Represents a variable size last-in-first-out (LIFO) collection of instances of the same arbitrary type.
	SynchronizedCollection<T>	Provides a thread-safe collection that contains objects of a type specified by the generic parameter as elements.
	SynchronizedKeyedCollection<K, T>	Provides a thread-safe collection that contains objects of a type specified by a generic parameter and that are grouped by keys.
	SynchronizedReadOnlyCollection<T>	Provides a thread-safe, read-only collection that contains objects of a type specified by the generic parameter as elements.

Structures

	Structure	Description
	Dictionary<TKey, TValue>.Enumerator	Enumerates the elements of a Dictionary<TKey, TValue>.
	Dictionary<TKey, TValue>.KeyCollection.Enumerator	Enumerates the elements of a Dictionary<TKey, TValue>.KeyCollection.
	Dictionary<TKey, TValue>.ValueCollection.Enumerator	Enumerates the elements of a Dictionary<TKey, TValue>.ValueCollection.
	HashSet<T>.Enumerator	Enumerates the elements of a HashSet<T> object.
	KeyValuePair<TKey, TValue>	Defines a key/value pair that can be set or retrieved.
	LinkedList<T>.Enumerator	Enumerates the elements of a LinkedList<T>.
	List<T>.Enumerator	Enumerates the elements of a List<T>.
	Queue<T>.Enumerator	Enumerates the elements of a Queue<T>.
	SortedDictionary<TKey, TValue>.Enumerator	Enumerates the elements of a SortedDictionary<TKey, TValue>.
	SortedDictionary<TKey, TValue>.KeyCollection.Enumerator	Enumerates the elements of a SortedDictionary<TKey, TValue>.KeyCollection.
	SortedDictionary<TKey, TValue>.ValueCollection.Enumerator	Enumerates the elements of a SortedDictionary<TKey, TValue>.ValueCollection.
	Stack<T>.Enumerator	Enumerates the elements of a Stack<T>.

Interfaces

	Interface	Description
	ICollection<T>	Defines methods to manipulate generic collections.
	IComparer<T>	Defines a method that a type implements to compare two objects.
	IDictionary<TKey, TValue>	Represents a generic collection of key/value pairs.
	IEnumerable<T>	Exposes the enumerator, which supports a simple iteration over a collection of a specified type.
	IEnumerator<T>	Supports a simple iteration over a generic collection.
	IEqualityComparer<T>	Defines methods to support the comparison of objects for equality.
	IList<T>	Represents a collection of objects that can be individually accessed by index.