Measuring the execution time of C# methods is essential for performance optimization and identifying bottlenecks in your application.
The most straightforward approach uses the Stopwatch class from the System.Diagnostics namespace, which provides high-precision timing capabilities.
Stopwatch
System.Diagnostics
This approach is perfect for quick performance checks during development or when troubleshooting specific methods in production code.
Here's a practical example: Imagine you have a method that processes a large dataset and you want to measure its performance.
First, add using System.Diagnostics; to your imports. Then implement timing as shown below:
using System.Diagnostics;
public void MeasurePerformance() { Stopwatch stopwatch = new Stopwatch(); // Start timing stopwatch.Start(); // Call the method you want to measure ProcessLargeDataset(); // Stop timing stopwatch.Stop(); // Get the elapsed time Console.WriteLine($"Processing time: {stopwatch.ElapsedMilliseconds} ms"); // Or use ElapsedTicks for higher precision Console.WriteLine($"Processing ticks: {stopwatch.ElapsedTicks}"); }
For more advanced scenarios, consider using the BenchmarkDotNet library, which offers comprehensive benchmarking with statistical analysis.
BenchmarkDotNet
Simply install the NuGet package, decorate methods with the [Benchmark] attribute, and run BenchmarkRunner.Run<YourBenchmarkClass>() to generate detailed reports comparing different implementation strategies.
[Benchmark]
BenchmarkRunner.Run<YourBenchmarkClass>()
String interpolation, introduced in C# 6.0, provides a more readable and concise way to format strings compared to traditional concatenation (+) or string.Format(). Instead of manually inserting variables or placeholders, you can use the $ symbol before a string to directly embed expressions inside brackets.
string name = "Walt"; string job = 'Software Engineer'; string message = $"Hello, my name is {name} and I am a {job}"; Console.WriteLine(message);
This would produce the final output of:
Hello, my name is Walt and I am a Software Engineer
String interpolation can also be chained together into a multiline string (@) for even cleaner more concise results:
string name = "Walt"; string html = $@" <div> <h1>Welcome, {name}!</h1> </div>";
Reading a file line by line is useful when handling large files without loading everything into memory at once.
✅ Best Practice: Use File.ReadLines() which is more memory efficient.
Example
foreach (string line in File.ReadLines("file.txt")) { Console.WriteLine(line); }
Why use ReadLines()?
Reads one line at a time, reducing overall memory usage. Ideal for large files (e.g., logs, CSVs).
Alternative: Use StreamReader (More Control)
For scenarios where you need custom processing while reading the contents of the file:
using (StreamReader reader = new StreamReader("file.txt")) { string? line; while ((line = reader.ReadLine()) != null) { Console.WriteLine(line); } }
Why use StreamReader?
Lets you handle exceptions, encoding, and buffering. Supports custom processing (e.g., search for a keyword while reading).
When to Use ReadAllLines()? If you need all lines at once, use:
string[] lines = File.ReadAllLines("file.txt");
Caution: Loads the entire file into memory—avoid for large files!
Storing passwords as plain text is dangerous. Instead, you should hash them using a strong, slow hashing algorithm like BCrypt, which includes built-in salting and resistance to brute-force attacks.
Step 1: Install BCrypt NuGet Package
Before using BCrypt, install the BCrypt.Net-Next package:
dotnet add package BCrypt.Net-Next
or via NuGet Package Manager:
Install-Package BCrypt.Net-Next
Step 2: Hash a Password
Use BCrypt.HashPassword() to securely hash a password before storing it:
using BCrypt.Net; string password = "mySecurePassword123"; string hashedPassword = BCrypt.HashPassword(password); Console.WriteLine(hashedPassword); // Output: $2a$12$...
Step 3: Verify a Password
To check a user's login attempt, use BCrypt.Verify():
bool isMatch = BCrypt.Verify("mySecurePassword123", hashedPassword); Console.WriteLine(isMatch); // Output: True
Ensuring proper hashing should be at the top of your list when it comes to building authentication systems.
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