Question

Passing Value Type parameters to functions in c# is by value unless you use the ref or out keyword on the parameter. But does this also apply to Reference Types?

Specifically I have a function that takes an IList<Foo>. Will the list passed to my function be a copy of the list with copy of its contained objects? Or will modifications to the list also apply for the caller? If so – Is there a clever way I can go about passing a copy?

public void SomeFunction()
{
    IList<Foo> list = new List<Foo>();
    list.Add(new Foo()); 
    DoSomethingWithCopyOfTheList(list);
    ..
}

public void DoSomethingWithCopyOfTheList(IList<Foo> list)
{
    // Do something
}

Answer 1

All parameters are passed by value unless you explicitly use ref or out. However, when you pass an instance of a reference type, you pass the reference by value. I.e. the reference itself is copied, but since it is still pointing to the same instance, you can still modify the instance through this reference. I.e. the instance is not copied. The reference is.

If you want to make a copy of the list itself, List<T> has a handy constructor, that takes an IEnumerable<T>.