C# – Efficiently merge string arrays in .NET, keeping distinct values

arraysc++distinctlinqmerge

I'm using .NET 3.5. I have two string arrays, which may share one or more values:

string[] list1 = new string[] { "apple", "orange", "banana" };
string[] list2 = new string[] { "banana", "pear", "grape" };

I'd like a way to merge them into one array with no duplicate values:

{ "apple", "orange", "banana", "pear", "grape" }

I can do this with LINQ:

string[] result = list1.Concat(list2).Distinct().ToArray();

but I imagine that's not very efficient for large arrays.

Is there a better way?

Best Solution

string[] result = list1.Union(list2).ToArray();

from msdn: "This method excludes duplicates from the return set. This is different behavior to the Concat(TSource) method, which returns all the elements in the input sequences including duplicates."

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C# – Comparing two byte arrays in .NET

You can use Enumerable.SequenceEqual method.

using System;
using System.Linq;
...
var a1 = new int[] { 1, 2, 3};
var a2 = new int[] { 1, 2, 3};
var a3 = new int[] { 1, 2, 4};
var x = a1.SequenceEqual(a2); // true
var y = a1.SequenceEqual(a3); // false

If you can't use .NET 3.5 for some reason, your method is OK.
Compiler\run-time environment will optimize your loop so you don't need to worry about performance.

C# – How to escape braces (curly brackets) in a format string in .NET

For you to output foo {1, 2, 3} you have to do something like:

string t = "1, 2, 3";
string v = String.Format(" foo {{{0}}}", t);

To output a { you use {{ and to output a } you use }}.

Or now, you can also use C# string interpolation like this (a feature available in C# 6.0)

Escaping brackets: String interpolation $(""). It is new feature in C# 6.0.

var inVal = "1, 2, 3";
var outVal = $" foo {{{inVal}}}";
// The output will be:  foo {1, 2, 3}

Best Solution

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C# – Comparing two byte arrays in .NET

C# – How to escape braces (curly brackets) in a format string in .NET

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