In VB.NET, a List is a dynamic collection that allows storing multiple elements of the same type. Unlike arrays, Lists can grow and shrink dynamically, making them more flexible for handling data.

Lists are part of the System.Collections.Generic namespace and provide various useful methods like Add(), Remove(), Sort(), and Contains().

In this blog, we will explore how to declare, initialize, and use Lists in VB.NET with examples.

Declaring and Initializing a List in VB.NET

To use a List in VB.NET, first import the System.Collections.Generic namespace.

🔹 Syntax:

Dim listName As New List(Of DataType)

🔹 Example: Declaring and Initializing a List

Imports System
Imports System.Collections.Generic

Module Program
    Sub Main()
        Dim names As New List(Of String)()  ' Creating a list of strings
        names.Add("Alice")
        names.Add("Bob")
        names.Add("Charlie")

        ' Displaying the List
        For Each name In names
            Console.WriteLine(name)
        Next
    End Sub
End Module

Output:

Alice  
Bob  
Charlie  

Common Operations on Lists

a) Adding Elements to a List

Use the .Add() method to insert elements into a list.

Dim numbers As New List(Of Integer)()
numbers.Add(10)
numbers.Add(20)
numbers.Add(30)

b) Removing Elements from a List

Use .Remove(value) to remove a specific element or .RemoveAt(index) to remove an element at a specific position.

numbers.Remove(20)  ' Removes value 20
numbers.RemoveAt(0) ' Removes the first element

c) Checking If an Item Exists

Use .Contains(value) to check if an item exists in the list.

If numbers.Contains(30) Then
    Console.WriteLine("30 is in the list")
End If

d) Sorting a List

Use .Sort() to sort elements in ascending order.

numbers.Sort()

e) Getting the Count of Items

Use .Count to get the total number of elements in a list.

Console.WriteLine("Total elements: " & numbers.Count)

Conclusion

Lists in VB.NET provide a flexible and powerful way to handle collections of data. With built-in methods like Add, Remove, Sort, and Contains, Lists offer an efficient way to manage dynamic data structures.

🚀 Start using Lists in VB.NET today to simplify your programming tasks!