Question

Which (if any) is more correct? Why?

string someVariable = (string) someOtherVariable;
string someVariable = someOtherVariable.ToString();
string someVariable = someOtherVariable as string;

I’ve used all three, but I don’t have any preference or understanding why one is better than the other.

Answer 1

These are not all examples of casting.

This is a cast:

string someVariable = (string) someOtherVariable;

This is method call:

string someVariable = someOtherVariable.ToString();

And this is a safe cast:

string someVariable = someOtherVariable as string;

The first and third examples are actual casts. The first cast has the potential to throw an InvalidCastException whereas the third example will not throw that exception. That is why the as operator is known as a safe cast.