C# Hashtable vs Dictionary vs HashSet

Last updated on July 18th, 2024 at 12:10 pm

A Hashtable, Dictionary, and HashSet are all data structures that store and retrieve data based on keys. However, there are some important differences between them.

csharp-hashtable-vs-dictionary-vs-hashset — *Difference-between-Hashtable, Dictionary-and-HashSet*

Following are the differences between a Hashtable, Dictionary, and HashSet in C#

A Hashtable is a collection that stores key-value pairs in a hash table, using the key as the hash value. It is thread-safe and allows null values, but it does not allow null keys and does not allow duplicate keys. It is not type-safe and has a slower performance compared to Dictionary. Hashtable is available in .NET 1.0 and above. It is slower and less efficient than the other two options, and it is not recommended for use in new code.
A Dictionary is a generic collection that stores key-value pairs in a hash table, using the key as the hash value. It is not thread-safe and does not allow null keys or null values. It does not allow duplicate keys. Dictionary is available in .NET 2.0 and above. It is type-safe, faster, and more efficient than a hashtable, and it is the recommended choice for new code.
A HashSet is a generic collection that stores a set of values in a hash table. It does not allow null values but does allow null elements. It does not allow duplicate elements. It is thread-safe and type-safe. HashSet has faster performance compared to Dictionary. HashSet is available in .NET 3.5 and above.
If you need to store key-value pairs and need thread safety, Hashtable is a good choice. However, keep in mind that it is not type-safe and has a slower performance compared to Dictionary.
If you need to store key-value pairs and do not need thread safety, Dictionary is a good choice. It is type-safe and has faster performance compared to Hashtable.
If you need to store a set of values and do not need to store key-value pairs, HashSet is a good choice. It is thread-safe and type-safe and has faster performance compared to Dictionary.

It’s important to choose the right data structure for your specific needs, as each data structure has its own strengths and limitations.

Table of Contents

1 C# Hashtable vs Dictionary vs HashSet – Comparision
2 C# HashSet<T>
- 2.1 Example:
  - 2.1.1 Output:
3 C# Dictionary<T>
- 3.1 Example:
  - 3.1.1 Output:
4 C# Hashtable
- 4.1 Example:
  - 4.1.1 Output:
5 Summary:
6 FAQ:

C# Hashtable vs Dictionary vs HashSet – Comparision

Following is a comparison of Hashtable, Dictionary, and HashSet in C#

Comparison	Hashtable	Dictionary	HashSet
Data Structure	Hashtable	Hashtable	Hashtable
Key	Object	TKey	T
Value	Object	TValue	n/a
Thread Safety	Yes	No	No
Null Keys	No	No	Yes
Null Values	Yes	Yes	No
Duplicate Keys	No	No	No
Inheritance	Yes	No	Yes
Type Safety	No	Yes	Yes
Performance	Slower	Faster	Faster
Available in .NET	1.0	2.0	3.5

C# Hashtable vs Dictionary vs HashSet – Comparision

C# HashSet<T>

A HashSet is a collection of unique items in C#. It is a data structure that provides fast lookups and adds/removes items. It is implemented using a hash table, which is a data structure that maps keys to values using a hash function.

HashSet is a good choice for storing only unique elements as It won’t accept duplicate entries. It is a generic collection and is available in System.Collections.Generic namespace.

Example:

Following is an example of how to use a HashSet in C#:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
namespace HashSetExample
    {
        class Program
        {
            static void Main(string[] args)
            {
                // Creating a new HashSet
                HashSet<int> hashset = new HashSet<int>();

                // Add some elements to the set
                hashset.Add(1);
                hashset.Add(2);
                hashset.Add(3);

                // The set contains only unique items, so adding a duplicate will replace the existing one
                hashset.Add(3);

                // Check if the set contains a specific item
                if (hashset.Contains(2))
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("The set contains 3.");
                }

                // Iterate over the items in the set
                foreach (int item in hashset)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine(item);
                }

                // Remove an item from the set
                hashset.Remove(3);

                Console.WriteLine("After removing 3, the set contains:");
                foreach (int item in hashset)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine(item);
                }

                    Console.ReadKey();
             }
        }
    }

Output:

The output of the above program would be:

The HashSet contains 3.
1
2
3
After removing 3, the set contains:
1
2

C# Dictionary<T>

The Dictionary class in C# is a generic data structure that stores key-value pairs, similar to a hashtable. It is found in the System.Collections.Generic namespace and provides a more efficient and type-safe alternative to the Hashtable class.

Learn more about Dictionary here: Dictionary<T> in C# with examples

Example:

Following is an example of how to use the Dictionary class in C#:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
namespace DictionaryClassExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // Create a new dictionary
            Dictionary<string, int> dictionary = new Dictionary<string, int>();

            // Adding some key-value pairs to the dictionary
            dictionary.Add("key1", 100);
            dictionary.Add("key2", 200);
            dictionary.Add("key3", 300);
            dictionary.Add("key4", 400);

            // Get the number of key-value pairs in the dictionary
            int count = dictionary.Count;
            Console.WriteLine($"Number of key-value pairs: {count}");

            // Get the keys in the dictionary
            ICollection<string> keys = dictionary.Keys;
            Console.WriteLine("*** Keys ***");
            foreach (var key in keys)
            {
                Console.WriteLine(key);
            }

            // Get the values in the dictionary
            ICollection<int> values = dictionary.Values;
            Console.WriteLine("*** Values ***");
            foreach (var value in values)
            {
                Console.WriteLine(value);
            }

            // Check if the dictionary contains a specific key
            bool containsKey = dictionary.ContainsKey("key4");
            Console.WriteLine($"Contains key 'key4': {containsKey}");

            // Check if the dictionary contains a specific value
            bool containsValue = dictionary.ContainsValue(300);
            Console.WriteLine($"Contains value 300: {containsValue}");

            // Iterate over the key-value pairs in the dictionary
            Console.WriteLine("Key-value pairs:");
            foreach (var entry in dictionary)
            {
                string key = entry.Key;
                int value = entry.Value;
                Console.WriteLine($"Key: {key}, Value: {value}");
            }
            Console.ReadKey();
        }
    }
}

Output:

Number of key-value pairs: 4
*** Keys ***
key1
key2
key3
key4
*** Values ***
100
200
300
400
Contains key 'key4': True
Contains value 300: True
Key-value pairs:
Key: key1, Value: 100
Key: key2, Value: 200
Key: key3, Value: 300
Key: key4, Value: 400

C# Hashtable

In C#, a Hashtable is a collection that stores key-value pairs. It is similar to a dictionary, but it is not type-safe, which means you can store keys and values of different types in the same Hashtable.

Learn more about Hashtable here: C# Hashtable with examples

Example:

Following is an example of how to create and use a Hashtable in C#:

using System;
using System.Collections;
namespace DictionaryClassExample
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            Hashtable hashtable = new Hashtable();

            // Adding some key-value pairs to the hashtable
            hashtable.Add("Key1", "Value1");
            hashtable.Add("Key2", 200);
            hashtable.Add("Key3", true);

            // Getting the value associated with a key
            string value1 = (string)hashtable["Key1"];
            int value2 = (int)hashtable["Key2"];
            bool value3 = (bool)hashtable["Key3"];
            Console.WriteLine($"Key1: {value1}, Key2: {value2}, Key3: {value3}");

            // foreach loop to Iterate through the hashtable
            foreach (DictionaryEntry entry in hashtable)
            {
                Console.WriteLine($"Key: {entry.Key}, Value: {entry.Value}");
            }

            // Check if the hashtable contains a key
            if (hashtable.ContainsKey("Key1"))
            {
                Console.WriteLine("The hashtable contains the key 'Key1'");
            }

            // Remove a key-value pair from the hashtable
            hashtable.Remove("Key2");

            Console.ReadKey();
        }
    }
}

In the above code example, we created a new Hashtable and added three key-value pairs. We then retrieve the values associated with the keys, iterate through the Hashtable, check if it contains a specific key, and remove a key-value pair.

Output:

Summary:

In summary, if you need to store key-value pairs and retrieve values based on keys, you should use a dictionary. If you need to store a set of values and check for the existence of a value quickly, you should use a hash set. If you are working with legacy code that uses a hashtable, you may need to continue using it, but for new code, you should use a dictionary or a hash set instead.

FAQ:

Following are some common questions about HashSet, Hashtable, and Dictionary in C#:

Q: When should you use a HashSet in C#?

A: You should use a hash set in C# when you need to store a large number of values and need to check for the presence of a value quickly. Hash sets are useful for scenarios where you need to store a set of values and perform operations such as adding, removing, and checking for the presence of values in the set.

Q: When should you use a dictionary in C#?

A: You should use a dictionary in C# when you need to store key-value pairs and retrieve values based on keys. Dictionaries are faster and more efficient than hashtables, and they allow you to specify the types of keys and values they store. They are the recommended choice for new code when you need to store and retrieve data based on keys.

Q: When should you use a hashtable in C#?

A: You should generally not use a hashtable in C# for new code. Hashtables are slower and less efficient than dictionaries, and they are considered obsolete. If you are working with legacy code that uses a hashtable, you may need to continue using it, but for new code, you should use a dictionary or a HashSet instead.

Here are some recommended articles on collections:

Refernces: MSDN-Hashtable, HashSet

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Meet Sheikh Ali, a skilled Software engineer and passionate a blogger. He enjoys sharing his expertise in C#, Java, SQL, Design Patterns, and other related topics through his writing. When he's not coding, Sheikh Ali can often indulge in his passions for reading books and fitness training.

C# Hashtable vs Dictionary vs HashSet – Comparision

C# HashSet<T>

Example:

Output:

C# Dictionary<T>

Example:

Output:

C# Hashtable

Example:

Output:

Summary:

FAQ:

Q: When should you use a HashSet in C#?

Q: When should you use a dictionary in C#?

Q: When should you use a hashtable in C#?

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