C# Academy · Lesson

Implementing IEquatable

Provide type-safe equality with Equals.

Lesson 1 of 413 steps

Implementing IEquatable is a free C# Academy lesson on CoddyKit. This is lesson 1 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the C# Academy learning path, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app. The C# Academy course includes 4 lessons in total.

Why IEquatable<T>?

IEquatable<T> provides a strongly typed Equals(T other) method. It avoids boxing for value types and avoids casting for reference types, making equality both faster and clearer.

Implementing the Interface

Implement IEquatable<T> and provide Equals(T other). You should also override the inherited object.Equals and GetHashCode to keep all paths consistent.

using System;

public struct Point : IEquatable<Point>
{
    public int X, Y;
    public Point(int x, int y) { X = x; Y = y; }

    public bool Equals(Point other) => X == other.X && Y == other.Y;
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => obj is Point p && Equals(p);
    public override int GetHashCode() => HashCode.Combine(X, Y);
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        Console.WriteLine(new Point(1, 2).Equals(new Point(1, 2)));
    }
}

Avoiding Boxing for Structs

The non-generic object.Equals(object) boxes a struct argument. The typed Equals(Point other) from IEquatable<T> takes the struct directly, so no allocation occurs.

using System;

public struct Point : IEquatable<Point>
{
    public int X, Y;
    public Point(int x, int y) { X = x; Y = y; }
    public bool Equals(Point other) => X == other.X && Y == other.Y; // no boxing
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => obj is Point p && Equals(p);
    public override int GetHashCode() => HashCode.Combine(X, Y);
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        Point a = new Point(3, 4);
        Point b = new Point(3, 4);
        Console.WriteLine(a.Equals(b)); // calls the typed overload
    }
}

Collections Use IEquatable<T>

List<T>.Contains, Dictionary, and HashSet prefer IEquatable<T>.Equals when available. Implementing it makes these operations efficient and correct for your type.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public struct Point : IEquatable<Point>
{
    public int X, Y;
    public Point(int x, int y) { X = x; Y = y; }
    public bool Equals(Point other) => X == other.X && Y == other.Y;
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => obj is Point p && Equals(p);
    public override int GetHashCode() => HashCode.Combine(X, Y);
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        var list = new List<Point> { new Point(0, 0), new Point(1, 1) };
        Console.WriteLine(list.Contains(new Point(1, 1)));
    }
}

Reference Types and IEquatable<T>

Classes can implement IEquatable<T> too. The typed Equals avoids a cast and you handle null explicitly for the reference parameter.

using System;

public class Person : IEquatable<Person>
{
    public string Name;
    public Person(string name) { Name = name; }

    public bool Equals(Person other) => other != null && other.Name == Name;
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => Equals(obj as Person);
    public override int GetHashCode() => Name?.GetHashCode() ?? 0;
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        Console.WriteLine(new Person("Ada").Equals(new Person("Ada")));
        Console.WriteLine(new Person("Ada").Equals((Person)null));
    }
}

Routing object.Equals Through the Typed One

A clean pattern is to write the comparison once in Equals(T) and have object.Equals delegate to it. This guarantees both behave identically.

using System;

public struct Id : IEquatable<Id>
{
    public int Value;
    public Id(int value) { Value = value; }
    public bool Equals(Id other) => Value == other.Value;
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => obj is Id other && Equals(other);
    public override int GetHashCode() => Value;
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        object boxed = new Id(5);
        Console.WriteLine(boxed.Equals(new Id(5)));
    }
}

Comparing Multiple Fields

For types with several fields, compare all of them in Equals. Two instances are equal only if every relevant field matches.

using System;

public struct DateRange : IEquatable<DateRange>
{
    public int Start, End;
    public DateRange(int start, int end) { Start = start; End = end; }
    public bool Equals(DateRange other) => Start == other.Start && End == other.End;
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => obj is DateRange d && Equals(d);
    public override int GetHashCode() => HashCode.Combine(Start, End);
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        Console.WriteLine(new DateRange(1, 5).Equals(new DateRange(1, 5)));
        Console.WriteLine(new DateRange(1, 5).Equals(new DateRange(1, 6)));
    }
}

Pairing With Operators

Combine IEquatable<T> with == and != so users can compare with either syntax, all backed by the same typed comparison.

using System;

public struct Money : IEquatable<Money>
{
    public decimal Amount;
    public Money(decimal a) { Amount = a; }
    public bool Equals(Money other) => Amount == other.Amount;
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => obj is Money m && Equals(m);
    public override int GetHashCode() => Amount.GetHashCode();
    public static bool operator ==(Money a, Money b) => a.Equals(b);
    public static bool operator !=(Money a, Money b) => !a.Equals(b);
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        Console.WriteLine(new Money(9.99m) == new Money(9.99m));
    }
}

Records Implement It Automatically

A C# record generates IEquatable<T>, value-based Equals, and GetHashCode for you. When value equality is all you need, a record saves boilerplate.

using System;

public record Point(int X, int Y);

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        var a = new Point(1, 2);
        var b = new Point(1, 2);
        Console.WriteLine(a.Equals(b));
        Console.WriteLine(a == b);
    }
}

When to Implement Manually

Implement IEquatable<T> by hand when you need custom equality rules, such as case-insensitive names or ignoring certain fields, that a record cannot express directly.

using System;

public class CaseInsensitiveTag : IEquatable<CaseInsensitiveTag>
{
    public string Name;
    public CaseInsensitiveTag(string name) { Name = name; }
    public bool Equals(CaseInsensitiveTag other)
        => other != null && string.Equals(Name, other.Name, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => Equals(obj as CaseInsensitiveTag);
    public override int GetHashCode() => Name?.ToLowerInvariant().GetHashCode() ?? 0;
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        Console.WriteLine(new CaseInsensitiveTag("Red").Equals(new CaseInsensitiveTag("RED")));
    }
}

Try It Yourself

Implement IEquatable<T> for a small reference type and route every equality path through the typed method.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

public class Coordinate : IEquatable<Coordinate>
{
    public int Lat, Lng;
    public Coordinate(int lat, int lng) { Lat = lat; Lng = lng; }
    public bool Equals(Coordinate other) => other != null && other.Lat == Lat && other.Lng == Lng;
    public override bool Equals(object obj) => Equals(obj as Coordinate);
    public override int GetHashCode() => HashCode.Combine(Lat, Lng);
}

public class Program
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        var set = new HashSet<Coordinate> { new Coordinate(10, 20) };
        Console.WriteLine(set.Contains(new Coordinate(10, 20)));
    }
}

Quick Check

Recall the benefit of IEquatable.

Answer it in the interactive lesson

Recap

IEquatable<T> gives type-safe equality.

Provides Equals(T other), avoiding boxing for structs and casts for classes.
Collections prefer it for correct, efficient lookups.
Route object.Equals and operators through the typed method.
Records implement it automatically; implement manually for custom rules.

Free to start

Learn C# with an AI tutor — free

Write and run real code in your browser, get instant help from a 24/7 AI tutor, and pick up where you left off on the web or in the app.

Courses: 93
Lessons: 346

Start learning free View the full course

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the “Implementing IEquatable” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Implementing IEquatable” is free to read here on the web. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the C# Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO. The C# Academy course includes 4 lessons in total.

What will I learn in “Implementing IEquatable”?

Provide type-safe equality with Equals. You practise C# Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start C# Academy?

No prior experience is required. C# Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace. This is lesson 1 of 4.

How long does the “Implementing IEquatable” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this C# Academy lesson?

Yes. Every C# Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

All lessons in this course

← Back to C# Academy