C# Academy · Lesson

Value Types vs Reference Types

See how each is stored and copied.

Lesson 1 of 413 steps

Value Types vs Reference Types 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.

Two Families of Types

C# types split into value types (int, double, bool, structs) and reference types (classes, strings, arrays). They differ in how they are stored and copied.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        int valueType = 5;          // value type
        int[] referenceType = { 1, 2, 3 };  // reference type
        Console.WriteLine(valueType + ", length " + referenceType.Length);
    }
}

Value Types Hold the Data

A value-type variable directly contains its data. Typically these live on the stack or inline within their containing object.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        int a = 10;
        double b = 3.14;
        bool c = true;
        Console.WriteLine(a + ", " + b + ", " + c);
    }
}

Reference Types Hold an Address

A reference-type variable holds a reference (address) to data stored on the heap. The variable and the object are separate.

using System;

class Box { public int Value; }

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        Box b = new Box();   // b refers to a heap object
        b.Value = 42;
        Console.WriteLine(b.Value);
    }
}

Copy Semantics: Value Types

Assigning a value type copies the data. Changing the copy never affects the original.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        int a = 1;
        int b = a;   // copy
        b = 99;
        Console.WriteLine("a=" + a + ", b=" + b);
    }
}

Copy Semantics: Reference Types

Assigning a reference type copies the reference, not the object. Both variables then point to the same object.

using System;

class Box { public int Value; }

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        Box a = new Box { Value = 1 };
        Box b = a;   // same object
        b.Value = 99;
        Console.WriteLine("a.Value=" + a.Value + ", b.Value=" + b.Value);
    }
}

Structs Are Value Types

A struct you define is a value type, so it copies on assignment just like int.

using System;

struct Point { public int X, Y; }

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        Point p1 = new Point { X = 1, Y = 2 };
        Point p2 = p1;   // full copy
        p2.X = 99;
        Console.WriteLine("p1.X=" + p1.X + ", p2.X=" + p2.X);
    }
}

Passing to Methods

By default, value types are passed by copy and reference types pass a copy of the reference. So a method can change a class object the caller sees, but not a plain int.

using System;

class Counter { public int N; }

class Program
{
    static void BumpInt(int x) { x++; }
    static void BumpObj(Counter c) { c.N++; }

    static void Main()
    {
        int i = 0;
        BumpInt(i);
        var c = new Counter();
        BumpObj(c);
        Console.WriteLine("i=" + i + ", c.N=" + c.N);
    }
}

null and Reference Types

Only reference types can be null (the absence of an object). Value types always hold a value unless declared nullable with ?.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        string text = null;        // reference type can be null
        int? maybe = null;          // nullable value type
        Console.WriteLine((text == null) + ", " + (maybe == null));
    }
}

Equality Differences

For value types, == compares the data. For reference types, == usually compares identity (same object), unless overridden.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        int a = 5, b = 5;
        Console.WriteLine("ints: " + (a == b));   // True - same value

        object o1 = new object();
        object o2 = new object();
        Console.WriteLine("objects: " + (o1 == o2));   // False - different identity
    }
}

Default Values

Value types have a zero-like default (0, false); reference types default to null.

using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        int defaultInt = default;
        bool defaultBool = default;
        string defaultString = default;
        Console.WriteLine(defaultInt + ", " + defaultBool + ", null? " + (defaultString == null));
    }
}

Putting It Together

Knowing whether a type is value or reference predicts copy behavior, nullability, and how methods can mutate it. This shapes correct, bug-free code.

using System;

struct Money { public decimal Amount; }
class Wallet { public decimal Amount; }

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        Money m1 = new Money { Amount = 10 };
        Money m2 = m1; m2.Amount = 99;

        Wallet w1 = new Wallet { Amount = 10 };
        Wallet w2 = w1; w2.Amount = 99;

        Console.WriteLine("Money copy: " + m1.Amount + " (independent)");
        Console.WriteLine("Wallet ref: " + w1.Amount + " (shared)");
    }
}

Quick Check

Test your understanding of value vs reference types.

Answer it in the interactive lesson

Recap

Value types (int, double, bool, structs) store data directly and copy on assignment; reference types (classes, strings, arrays) store a reference to a heap object and copy the reference. Only reference types are nullable by default, and assignment behavior plus equality differ between the two families.

using System;

struct V { public int N; }
class R { public int N; }

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        V v1 = new V { N = 1 }; V v2 = v1; v2.N = 9;
        R r1 = new R { N = 1 }; R r2 = r1; r2.N = 9;
        Console.WriteLine(v1.N + " vs " + r1.N);
    }
}

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the “Value Types vs Reference Types” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Value Types vs Reference Types” 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 “Value Types vs Reference Types”?

See how each is stored and copied. 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?

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