C# program to create a ValueType with names

ValueTuples in C# allow you to create lightweight data structures with named fields. Introduced in C# 7, ValueTuples provide a convenient way to group multiple values together without creating a separate class or struct.

Note − For .NET Framework projects, you may need to add the System.ValueTuple NuGet package to use ValueTuples.

Installing System.ValueTuple Package

To add the System.ValueTuple package to your project −

• Go to your project
• Right click on the project in the Solution Explorer
• Select "Manage NuGet Packages"
• Click the Browse tab and search for "System.ValueTuple"
• Install the System.ValueTuple package

Syntax

Following is the syntax for creating a named ValueTuple −

var tupleName = (field1: value1, field2: value2, field3: value3);

You can also explicitly specify the type −

(int marks, string name, string subject) myTuple = (95, "Jack", "Maths");

Using Named ValueTuples

Example

using System;

class Program {
   static void Main() {
      var myTuple = (marks: 95, name: "Jack", subject: "Maths");
      
      // Using names to access tuple elements
      Console.WriteLine("Student Marks: " + myTuple.marks);
      Console.WriteLine("Student Name: " + myTuple.name);
      Console.WriteLine("Student Subject: " + myTuple.subject);
   }
}

The output of the above code is −

Student Marks: 95
Student Name: Jack
Student Subject: Maths

Multiple ValueTuples with Different Data

Example

using System;

class Program {
   static void Main() {
      var student1 = (id: 101, name: "Alice", grade: 'A', gpa: 3.8);
      var student2 = (id: 102, name: "Bob", grade: 'B', gpa: 3.2);
      
      Console.WriteLine($"Student 1: ID={student1.id}, Name={student1.name}, Grade={student1.grade}, GPA={student1.gpa}");
      Console.WriteLine($"Student 2: ID={student2.id}, Name={student2.name}, Grade={student2.grade}, GPA={student2.gpa}");
      
      // You can also modify tuple values
      var student3 = student1;
      student3.name = "Alice Johnson";
      Console.WriteLine($"Updated Student: {student3.name}");
   }
}

The output of the above code is −

Student 1: ID=101, Name=Alice, Grade=A, GPA=3.8
Student 2: ID=102, Name=Bob, Grade=B, GPA=3.2
Updated Student: Alice Johnson

Returning Named ValueTuples from Methods

Example

using System;

class Program {
   static (string name, int age, string city) GetPersonInfo() {
      return ("John Doe", 30, "New York");
   }
   
   static void Main() {
      var person = GetPersonInfo();
      Console.WriteLine($"Name: {person.name}");
      Console.WriteLine($"Age: {person.age}");
      Console.WriteLine($"City: {person.city}");
      
      // You can also deconstruct the tuple
      var (personName, personAge, personCity) = GetPersonInfo();
      Console.WriteLine($"\nDeconstructed: {personName}, {personAge}, {personCity}");
   }
}

The output of the above code is −

Name: John Doe
Age: 30
City: New York

Deconstructed: John Doe, 30, New York

Conclusion

Named ValueTuples in C# provide a lightweight way to group related data with meaningful field names. They are particularly useful for returning multiple values from methods and creating temporary data structures without defining separate classes.