C# List.ToArray performance is bad?

Question

I\'m using .Net 3.5 (C#) and I\'ve heard the performance of C# List.ToArray is \"bad\", since it memory copies for all elements to form a new array. Is

Answer 1

Performance has to be understood in relative terms. Converting an array to a List involves copying the array, and the cost of that will depend on the size of the array. But you have to compare that cost to other other things your program is doing. How did you obtain the information to put into the array in the first place? If it was by reading from the disk, or a network connection, or a database, then an array copy in memory is very unlikely to make a detectable difference to the time taken.