Correct use of C# properties

Question

private List _dates;

public List Dates
{
    get { return _dates; }
    set { _dates = value; }
}

OR

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Answer 1

The former is the original approach, the latter is an example of the newer 'auto properties' facility whereby the compiler generates a backing field for you automatically.

Some people (myself included) shy away from auto properties because the syntax is easy to mistake for abstract properties, there is no facility for 'readonly' properties and the syntax for auto properties with private setters is clumsy:

public List Dates
{
    get;
    private set;
}

I also find it uncomfortable to have my classes' internal implementation accessing fields via the class API.