How to Split a List into Batches Using the Chunk Method in C#

Jignesh Kumar
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Article

In this article, I will explain how the Chunk method works, highlight its advantages, and provide practical examples of how to implement it in real-world applications.

Efficiently managing large collections is a common challenge in C#. Whether you're working with extensive datasets, implementing pagination for API responses, or executing batch operations, breaking a list into smaller, more manageable chunks can significantly enhance performance, reduce memory usage, and streamline processing. By dividing data into structured segments, you can optimize computational efficiency, minimize processing delays, and improve overall system responsiveness.

With .NET 6 and later, the Chunk method in LINQ makes this task easier. Instead of writing complex logic to split a list manually, Chunk allows you to break a collection into smaller arrays with just one line of code.

Chunk Method in Linq (.Net 6, C# 8 & above version)

The Chunk method splits a collection into smaller chunks of a specified size. It was introduced in .NET 6 and is available in C# 8+. The Chunk method in C# simplifies splitting large lists into smaller groups, improving batch processing, pagination, and parallel execution. Introduced in .NET 6, it replaces manual looping, making code cleaner and more efficient.

ChunkMethodMainImage

Syntax

int chunkSize = 3;
var chunks = EmployeeColletion.Chunk(chunkSize);

size → Number of items per chunk.
Returns IEnumerable<T[]> → Each chunk is an array (T[]).

Example. Split a List into Chunks

int[] numbersList = Enumerable.Range(1, 15).ToArray(); // [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15]

var chunks = numbersList.Chunk(3); // Split into groups of 3
Console.WriteLine(Environment.NewLine);
foreach (var chunk in chunks)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"Chunk: {string.Join(", ", chunk)}");
}

ChunqinLinq

Let's use debugging to see how a list is split into smaller chunks, each containing three elements. By stepping through the code, we can watch how the Chunk method breaks the list into groups of three. This makes it easier to understand how the data is organized and processed in smaller, more manageable parts. Please refer to the snippet below in debug mode.

Debugger chunk

When to Use the Chunk Method?

Batch Processing: Efficiently handle large datasets by breaking them into smaller batches, commonly used for making multiple API requests, updating database records in chunks, or processing data in stages to prevent overloading the system.
Pagination: Divide large result sets into smaller, manageable pages, improving performance and user experience in applications that display data incrementally, such as search results, tables, or product listings.
Parallel Processing: Distribute workloads by splitting a large collection into smaller parts, allowing multiple tasks to run concurrently. This approach enhances performance in CPU-intensive operations like data transformations, computations, or background processing.

Before introducing the Chunk method,

Let's explore how lists were traditionally divided into smaller chunks using manual approaches. If you're using .NET Framework or earlier versions, then .net 6 or C# 8, you can implement a custom chunking method.

public static IEnumerable<List<T>> ChunkBy<T>(this IEnumerable<T> source, int size)
{
    return source.Select((item, index) => new { item, index })
                 .GroupBy(x => x.index / size)
                 .Select(g => g.Select(x => x.item).ToList());
}

Summary

In this article, we explored the Chunk method in .NET 6 and C# 8 and later versions. We learned how it efficiently splits collections into smaller chunks with a single line of code, making the process cleaner and more readable. Additionally, we discussed practical use cases for applying the Chunk method in real-world scenarios.

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Thank you for reading! I hope it was helpful. Please feel free to leave a comment and reach out if you have any questions.