C# foreach Loop

Last Updated : 03 Feb, 2025

foreach loop in C# is a special type of loop designed to iterate through collections like arrays, lists, and other enumerable data types. It simplifies the process of accessing each element in a collection without the need for manual indexing. This is useful when performing operations on every element of an array or collection without worrying about the indexes.

Example 1:

// C# Program to iterate Through  // an Array Using foreach loop using System;  class Geeks {     static void Main(string[] args)     {         char[] arr = { 'G', 'e', 'e', 'k' };          // Using foreach to print          // each character in the array         foreach(char ch in arr)         {            Console.WriteLine(ch);          }     } }

Output

G e e k

Syntax of foreach Loop

foreach (data_type variable_name in collection)

{
// Code to execute for each element
}

Parameters:

data_type: The type of elements in the collection (e.g., int, string, etc.).
variable_name: A temporary variable that holds the current element during each iteration.
collection: The array or collection being iterated over.

The foreach loop uses the in keyword to iterate over each item in the specified collection. On each iteration, it selects an item from the collection and stores it in the variable defined. The loop continues until all elements have been processed.

Important Points:

It is necessary to enclose the statements of the foreach loop in curly braces {}.
Instead of declaring and initializing a loop counter variable, you declare a variable that is the same type as the base type of the array, followed by a colon, which is then followed by the array name.
In the loop body, you can use the loop variable you created rather than using an indexed array element.

Flow Diagram of foreach Loop

Example 2:

// Counting Elements Based on Conditions using System;  class Geeks  {   static void Main(string[] args)     {         char[] gender = { 'm', 'f', 'm', 'm', 'f' };         int maleCount = 0, femaleCount = 0;          // Counting males and females using foreach         foreach(char g in gender)         {             if (g == 'm')                 maleCount++;             else if (g == 'f')                 femaleCount++;         }          Console.WriteLine("Number of males: " + maleCount);         Console.WriteLine("Number of females: "         + femaleCount);     } }

Output

Number of males: 3 Number of females: 2

Example 3: This example demonstrating the foreach loop in C#, the iteration of different collections (arrays, lists, and dictionaries):

using System; using System.Collections.Generic;  class Geeks {     public static void Main()     {         // Iterating through an array of strings         string[] f = { "Apple", "Banana", "Orange" };          Console.WriteLine("Fruits:");          // Iterating through the array and printing each fruit         foreach (string fruit in f)         {             Console.WriteLine(fruit);           }         Console.WriteLine();          // Iterating through a list of integers         List<int> n = new List<int> { 10, 20, 30 };          Console.WriteLine("Numbers:");         foreach (int number in n)         {             Console.WriteLine(number);           }         Console.WriteLine();          // Iterating through a dictionary         Dictionary<string, int> ages = new Dictionary<string, int>         {             { "A", 30 },             { "B", 25 },             { "C", 35 }         };          Console.WriteLine("Ages:");         foreach (KeyValuePair<string, int> entry in ages)         {             Console.WriteLine($"{entry.Key}: {entry.Value}");         }     } }

Output

Fruits: Apple Banana Orange  Numbers: 10 20 30  Ages: A: 30 B: 25 C: 35

Limitations of the foreach Loop

1. Non-Index Access: Unlike the for loop, the foreach loop doesn’t provide an index variable that you can use to reference the position of the current element in the collection.

foreach (int num in numbers)

{
if (num == target)
{ return ???; // do not know the index of num
}
}

2. Collection Modification: cannot remove or add elements to the collection while iterating with a foreach loop.

foreach(int num in marks)

{ // cannot modify array or collections like list and set.

// only changes num not

// the element

num = num * 2;

}

3. Foreach only iterates forward over the array in single steps

// cannot be converted to a foreach loop

for (int i = numbers.Length – 1; i > 0; i–)

{

Console.WriteLine(numbers[i]);

}

4. Performance Overhead: This may have performance drawbacks compared to traditional loops, especially with large datasets.

Advantages

It provides a clean and concise syntax for iterating over collections without manual indexing.
It enhances code readability by eliminating complex loop constructs.
It reduces the risk of off-by-one errors common in traditional loops.
It handles index management internally, simplifying the iteration process.
It results in cleaner code that is easier to maintain and debug

Note: Modifying the collection while iterating through it will result in a runtime error.

Difference Between for loop and foreach loop

Feature	for Loop	foreach Loop
Definition	Execute the code written within a block until the defined condition becomes false.	Iterates through each element in a collection or array automatically.
Iteration	Can be iterated through both directions forward and backward	Only Iterate in the forward direction.
Performance	Can be more efficient since it doesn’t create a copy of the array.	Slightly less efficient for large collections due to copying overhead.
Use-Case	Best for scenarios requiring custom indexing, backward iteration, or performance optimization.	Used to iterate from elements of collections.