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System.Array.CopyTo() vs System.Array.Clone(), explain with example.

Erick Wilsom13821-Oct-2022

What’s the difference between the System.Array.CopyTo() and System.Array.Clone()? Explain with example.

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Updated on 30-May-2023
Erick Wilsom

Erick Wilsom

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1 Answers

Aryan Kumar

Aryan Kumar

30-May-2023

Sure. The System.Array.CopyTo() and System.Array.Clone() methods are both used to copy arrays in C#. However, there are some key differences between the two methods.

System.Array.CopyTo() copies the elements of an array to another array. The destination array must already exist and be large enough to hold all of the elements from the source array. The CopyTo() method takes two parameters: the source array and the destination array. The destination array is specified by its index and length.

System.Array.Clone() creates a new array that is a copy of the original array. The new array has the same size and elements as the original array. The Clone() method takes one parameter: the original array.

Here is an example of how to use System.Array.CopyTo() to copy an array:

C#

int[] sourceArray = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };
int[] destinationArray = new int[sourceArray.Length];
Array.Copy(sourceArray, 0, destinationArray, 0, sourceArray.Length);

This code will copy the elements of the sourceArray to the destinationArray. The sourceArray and destinationArray will now contain the same elements.

Here is an example of how to use System.Array.Clone() to create a clone of an array:

C#

int[] sourceArray = { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };
int[] destinationArray = (int[])sourceArray.Clone();

This code will create a new array, destinationArray, that is a copy of the original array, sourceArray. The destinationArray will have the same size and elements as the sourceArray.

The main difference between System.Array.CopyTo() and System.Array.Clone() is that System.Array.CopyTo() copies the elements of an array to another array, while System.Array.Clone() creates a new array that is a copy of the original array.

In general, System.Array.CopyTo() is the preferred method for copying arrays. It is more efficient than System.Array.Clone(), and it does not require the destination array to be of the same type as the source array.

However, there are some cases where System.Array.Clone() is the preferred method. For example, if you need to create a deep copy of an array, you must use System.Array.Clone(). A deep copy is a copy of an array where the elements of the array are also copied recursively. This means that if the elements of the array are themselves arrays, the elements of the elements are also copied.

System.Array.CopyTo() does not perform a deep copy. It only copies the elements of the source array to the destination array. This means that if the elements of the source array are themselves arrays, the elements of the destination array will refer to the same objects as the elements of the source array.

In general, you should use System.Array.CopyTo() unless you need to create a deep copy of an array.

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