What is the Difference Between INT Parse and Convert ToInt32 in C#? with Proper Definition and Brief Explanation

The main difference between int Parse and Convert ToInt32 in C# is that passing a null value to int Parse will throw an ArgumentNullException while passing a null value to Convert ToInt32 will give zero.

C# is a modern, general-purpose, high-level programming language developed by Microsoft. It is a part of the .NET framework. It allows writing easy and efficient programs. A string is a data type that has a sequence of characters. In programming, it is required to perform processing on strings. There are several methods to convert a string to an integer. Two of them are using int.Parse and Convert ToInt32.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is int parse?
     – Definition, Functionality
2. What is Convert Toint32?
     – Definition, Functionality
3. What are the similarities between int Parse and Convert ToInt32 in C#?
     – Describe the common features
4. What is the difference between int Parse and Convert ToInt32 in C#?
     – Key Difference Comparison

Key terms

C#, Convert Toint 32, INT Parse

what is parse INT

The main purpose of using int Parse is to convert a string to an integer.

                                                    Figure 1: Program 1 with int Parse

According to the above program, str stores a string. The int.Parse converts it to an integer. So the value is stored in the result variable. Finally, the integer value is displayed on the screen.

If the string is null, it will throw an ArgumentNullException.

                                                 Figure 2: Program 2 with int Parse

According to the above program, the str2 stores null. The int.Parse tries to convert it to an int and stores the response in the result variable. Since str2 is null, the conversion is not possible. Therefore it gives an ArgumentNullException. Then the catch block is executed, and the exception message is displayed on the screen.

                                                    Figure 3: Program 3 with int Parse

According to the above program, str3 stores a string. Int.Parse tries to convert it to an int and stores the response in the result variable. Since the value is a decimal value, the conversion is not possible. Therefore it gives a FormatException. Therefore, the catch block is executed, and the exception message is displayed on the screen.

                                                   Figure 4: Program 4 with int Parse

According to the above program, str4 stores a string. Int.Parse tries to convert it to an int and stores the response in the result variable. Since the value is too large, the conversion is not possible. Therefore it gives an OverflowException. Therefore, the catch block is executed, and the exception message is displayed on the screen.

What is ConvertToInt32

The main purpose of using Convert ToInt32 is to convert a string to an integer.

                                                  Figure 5: Program 1 with Convert ToInt

According to the above program, str is a string. The Convert.ToInt converts it to an integer. So the value is stored in the result variable. Finally, the integer value is displayed on the screen.

                                                Figure 6: Program 2 with Convert ToInt

According to the above program, the str2 stores null. Convert.ToInt32 will be converted to an integer and stored in the result variable. Finally, the value 0 will be displayed on the screen.

                                             Figure 7: Program 3 with Convert ToInt

According to the above program, str3 stores a string. The Convert.ToInt32 tries to convert it to an int and stores the answer in the result variable. Since the value is a decimal value, the conversion is not possible. Therefore, it throws a FormatException. Therefore, the catch block is executed, and the exception message is displayed on the screen.

                                               Figure 8: Program 4 with Convert.ToInt32

According to the above program, str4 stores a string. The Convert.ToInt32 tries to convert it to an int and stores the answer in the result variable. Since the value is too large, the conversion is not possible, giving an OverflowException. Therefore, the catch block is executed, and the exception message is displayed on the screen.

Similarities Between int Parse and Convert ToInt32 in C#

• Both int Parse and Convert ToInt32 in C# convert a string to an integer.
• In both, passing a non-integer data type will give a format exception.
• On the other hand, passing a large value will give an overflow exception.

Difference between int Parse and Convert ToInt32 in C#

Definition

The int.Parse is a method in C# that converts a string representation to a corresponding numeric integer value. Convert.ToInt32 is a method in C# that converts a specified string representation of a number to an equivalent 32-bit signed integer. This explains the main difference between int Parse and Convert ToInt32 in C#.

Syntax

The syntax for int Parse is int.Parse(string s); while the syntax for Convert Toint 32 is Convert.ToInt32(string s);

Passing a null value

Another difference between int Parse and Convert ToInt32 in C# is that when passing a null value, int.Parse will give an ArgumentNullException while Convert.ToInt32 gives a zero. 

Conclusion

In short, int.Parse and Convert ToInt32 are two methods to convert a string to an integer. The main difference between int Parse and Convert ToInt32 in C# is that passing a null value to int Parse will throw an ArgumentNullException while passing a null value to Convert ToInt32 will return zero.

Reference:

1. Bill Wagner. “How to: Convert a String to a Number (C# Programming Guide).” Microsoft documents, available here.
2. “Convert.ToInt32 Method (System).” Convert.ToInt32 Method (System) | Microsoft Docs, available here.

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