C# Academy · Lesson

Object and Collection Initializers

Set properties at creation time concisely.

Object and Collection Initializers is a free C# Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 3 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, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

What Is an Object Initializer?

An object initializer sets public properties or fields right after new, inside { }, without writing a constructor for each combination.

using System;

class Person
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public int Age { get; set; }
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var p = new Person { Name = "Ada", Age = 36 };
        Console.WriteLine(p.Name + ", " + p.Age);
    }
}

Initializer Syntax

List property assignments separated by commas inside the braces. They run after the constructor completes.

using System;

class Car
{
    public string Make { get; set; }
    public string Model { get; set; }
    public int Year { get; set; }
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var car = new Car
        {
            Make = "Toyota",
            Model = "Corolla",
            Year = 2022
        };
        Console.WriteLine(car.Year + " " + car.Make + " " + car.Model);
    }
}

Combining Constructor and Initializer

You can call a constructor AND use an initializer. The constructor runs first, then the initializer assigns the listed properties.

using System;

class Widget
{
    public string Id { get; }
    public string Label { get; set; }

    public Widget(string id) { Id = id; }
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var w = new Widget("w1") { Label = "Submit" };
        Console.WriteLine(w.Id + ": " + w.Label);
    }
}

Initializing Only Some Properties

You only list the properties you care about; the rest keep their defaults. This makes initializers flexible.

using System;

class Settings
{
    public bool DarkMode { get; set; } = false;
    public int Volume { get; set; } = 50;
    public string Lang { get; set; } = "en";
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var s = new Settings { DarkMode = true };
        Console.WriteLine(s.DarkMode + ", " + s.Volume + ", " + s.Lang);
    }
}

Collection Initializers

A collection initializer fills a list, set, or array at creation time using { } with comma-separated elements.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var nums = new List<int> { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 };
        Console.WriteLine("Count: " + nums.Count);
        Console.WriteLine("Sum: " + Sum(nums));
    }

    static int Sum(List<int> list)
    {
        int t = 0;
        foreach (var n in list) t += n;
        return t;
    }
}

How Collection Initializers Work

The compiler turns each element into an Add(...) call. Any type with an Add method and IEnumerable supports this syntax.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var names = new List<string> { "Ann", "Bob", "Cara" };
        foreach (var n in names)
            Console.WriteLine(n);
    }
}

Dictionary Initializers

Dictionaries can be initialized with key/value pairs in braces, very handy for lookup tables.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var ages = new Dictionary<string, int>
        {
            ["Ann"] = 30,
            ["Bob"] = 25
        };
        Console.WriteLine("Ann is " + ages["Ann"]);
    }
}

Nested Object Initializers

An object initializer can initialize nested objects, building a small object graph in one expression.

using System;

class Address
{
    public string City { get; set; }
}

class Customer
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public Address Home { get; set; } = new Address();
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var c = new Customer
        {
            Name = "Lin",
            Home = new Address { City = "Tokyo" }
        };
        Console.WriteLine(c.Name + " in " + c.Home.City);
    }
}

Collections of Objects

Combine both features: initialize a list whose elements are themselves built with object initializers.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

class Item
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public decimal Price { get; set; }
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var cart = new List<Item>
        {
            new Item { Name = "Pen", Price = 1.5m },
            new Item { Name = "Book", Price = 9.0m }
        };
        decimal total = 0;
        foreach (var i in cart) total += i.Price;
        Console.WriteLine("Total: " + total);
    }
}

Initializers and init Properties

Object initializers are the way to set init-only properties, since they can only be assigned during initialization.

using System;

class Config
{
    public string Env { get; init; }
    public int Retries { get; init; }
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var c = new Config { Env = "prod", Retries = 3 };
        Console.WriteLine(c.Env + " / " + c.Retries);
    }
}

Putting It Together

Initializers make construction declarative and readable, especially for configuration objects and test data.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

class Team
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public List<string> Members { get; set; } = new List<string>();
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var t = new Team
        {
            Name = "Alpha",
            Members = { "Ann", "Bob", "Cara" }
        };
        Console.WriteLine(t.Name + " has " + t.Members.Count + " members");
    }
}

Quick Check

Test your understanding of initializers.

Recap

Object initializers set public members in { } after new, running after the constructor. Collection initializers add elements via implicit Add calls, and dictionaries support key/value pairs. Both can nest, work with init properties, and make construction concise and declarative.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

class Demo
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public List<int> Nums { get; set; } = new List<int>();
}

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var d = new Demo { Name = "x", Nums = { 1, 2, 3 } };
        Console.WriteLine(d.Name + " " + d.Nums.Count);
    }
}

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Object and Collection Initializers” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Object and Collection Initializers” is free to read here on the web, and the C# Academy course includes 4 lessons in total. 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.

What will I learn in “Object and Collection Initializers”?

Set properties at creation time concisely. 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; this is — lesson 3 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Object and Collection Initializers” 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.

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