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Editorial Team
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Asked: 2026-05-17T16:14:34+00:00

Is it faster to declare variables inside a loop or outside a loop? For

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Is it faster to declare variables inside a loop or outside a loop? For example:

' Declaration inside of the loop
For each item in items
    Dim newVariable as String = GetAString()
Next

' Declaration outside of the loop
Dim newVariable as String = String.Empty
For each item in items
    newVariable = GetAString()
Next

Which one is faster? Why? I assume the latter is faster because it is just reusing the same “pointer” to reference a new value behind the scenes instead of creating a new pointer each iteration, correct? Can someone elaborate?

Thanks

Updated:

The Compiler is intelligent enough to optimize the code when generating the Intermediate Language. It moves the variable declarations to the top of the method. Below, is the declartions within the IL after compilation:

 .locals init ([0] string newVariable2,
           [1] int32 i,
           [2] string newVariable,
           [3] int32 V_3,
           [4] int32 VB$CG$t_i4$S0)

Here’s the entire IL for those interested:

.method private instance void  Form1_Load(object sender,
                                          class [mscorlib]System.EventArgs e) cil managed
{
  // Code size       55 (0x37)
  .maxstack  2
  .locals init ([0] string newVariable2,
           [1] int32 i,
           [2] string newVariable,
           [3] int32 V_3,
           [4] int32 VB$CG$t_i4$S0)
  IL_0000:  nop
  IL_0001:  ldc.i4.0
  IL_0002:  stloc.1
  IL_0003:  ldarg.0
  IL_0004:  callvirt   instance string WindowsApplication1.TestVariableDeclaration::getstring()
  IL_0009:  stloc.2
  IL_000a:  nop
  IL_000b:  ldloc.1
  IL_000c:  ldc.i4.1
  IL_000d:  add.ovf
  IL_000e:  stloc.1
  IL_000f:  ldloc.1
  IL_0010:  ldc.i4     0x989680
  IL_0015:  stloc.s    VB$CG$t_i4$S0
  IL_0017:  ldloc.s    VB$CG$t_i4$S0
  IL_0019:  ble.s      IL_0003
  IL_001b:  ldc.i4.0
  IL_001c:  stloc.3
  IL_001d:  ldarg.0
  IL_001e:  callvirt   instance string WindowsApplication1.TestVariableDeclaration::getstring()
  IL_0023:  stloc.0
  IL_0024:  nop
  IL_0025:  ldloc.3
  IL_0026:  ldc.i4.1
  IL_0027:  add.ovf
  IL_0028:  stloc.3
  IL_0029:  ldloc.3
  IL_002a:  ldc.i4     0x989680
  IL_002f:  stloc.s    VB$CG$t_i4$S0
  IL_0031:  ldloc.s    VB$CG$t_i4$S0
  IL_0033:  ble.s      IL_001d
  IL_0035:  nop
  IL_0036:  ret
} // end of method TestVariableDeclaration::Form1_Load
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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    I agree with Kevin’s answer, define variables where they have meaning. Worry about optimizations if and when they present themselves and you know that a variable declaration is the issue. However, consider the following two pieces of code 

    void Test1()
{
    foreach (int i in Enumerable.Range(0,10))
    {
        string s = GetString();
        Console.WriteLine(s);
    }
}

void Test2()
{
    string s;
    foreach (int i in Enumerable.Range(0,10))
    {
        s = GetString();
        Console.WriteLine(s);
    }
}

    And their generated IL:

    Test1:
IL_0000:  ldc.i4.0    
IL_0001:  ldc.i4.s    0A 
IL_0003:  call        System.Linq.Enumerable.Range
IL_0008:  callvirt    System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable<System.Int32>.GetEnumerator
IL_000D:  stloc.1     
IL_000E:  br.s        IL_0024
IL_0010:  ldloc.1     
IL_0011:  callvirt    System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerator<System.Int32>.get_Current
IL_0016:  pop         
IL_0017:  ldarg.0     
IL_0018:  call        UserQuery.GetString
IL_001D:  stloc.0     
IL_001E:  ldloc.0     
IL_001F:  call        System.Console.WriteLine
IL_0024:  ldloc.1     
IL_0025:  callvirt    System.Collections.IEnumerator.MoveNext
IL_002A:  brtrue.s    IL_0010
IL_002C:  leave.s     IL_0038
IL_002E:  ldloc.1     
IL_002F:  brfalse.s   IL_0037
IL_0031:  ldloc.1     
IL_0032:  callvirt    System.IDisposable.Dispose
IL_0037:  endfinally  
IL_0038:  ret         

Test2:
IL_0000:  ldc.i4.0    
IL_0001:  ldc.i4.s    0A 
IL_0003:  call        System.Linq.Enumerable.Range
IL_0008:  callvirt    System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable<System.Int32>.GetEnumerator
IL_000D:  stloc.1     
IL_000E:  br.s        IL_0024
IL_0010:  ldloc.1     
IL_0011:  callvirt    System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerator<System.Int32>.get_Current
IL_0016:  pop         
IL_0017:  ldarg.0     
IL_0018:  call        UserQuery.GetString
IL_001D:  stloc.0     
IL_001E:  ldloc.0     
IL_001F:  call        System.Console.WriteLine
IL_0024:  ldloc.1     
IL_0025:  callvirt    System.Collections.IEnumerator.MoveNext
IL_002A:  brtrue.s    IL_0010
IL_002C:  leave.s     IL_0038
IL_002E:  ldloc.1     
IL_002F:  brfalse.s   IL_0037
IL_0031:  ldloc.1     
IL_0032:  callvirt    System.IDisposable.Dispose
IL_0037:  endfinally  
IL_0038:  ret

    See any difference? Those compiler guys, they’re smart.

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