C# – Compare Two Arrays Of Different Lengths and Show Differences

arraysc++

Problem:

I have two arrays that can possibly be different lengths. I need to iterate through both arrays and find similarities, additions, and deletions.

What's the fastest and most efficient way to accomplish this in C#?

Edit:
The arrays are pre-sorted and they can contain anywhere between 50-100 items. Also, there aren't any constraints on speed and/or memory usage (however, no one likes a memory hog;)

For example:

String[] Foo_Old = {"test1", "test2", "test3"};
String[] Foo_New = {"test1", "test2", "test4", "test5"};

AND

String[] Bar_Old = {"test1", "test2", "test4"};
String[] Bar_New = {"test1", "test3"};

Differences:

(with respect to the Foo_New array)

[Same]    "test1"
[Same]    "test2"
[Removed] "test3"
[Added]   "test4"
[Added]   "test5"

(with respect to the Bar_New array)

[Same]    "test1"
[Removed] "test2"
[Removed] "test4"
[Added]   "test3"

Best Solution

You can use Except and Intersect ...

var Foo_Old = new[] { "test1", "test2", "test3" }; 
var Foo_New = new[] { "test1", "test2", "test4", "test5" };

var diff = Foo_New.Except( Foo_Old );
var inter = Foo_New.Intersect( Foo_Old );
var rem = Foo_Old.Except(Foo_New);

foreach (var s in diff)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Added " + s);
}

foreach (var s in inter)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Same " + s);
}

foreach (var s in rem)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Removed " + s);
}
Related Question