Is Object a Reference Type or Value Type?

Is Object a Reference Type or Value Type? In this article, you will find details about An object variable is always a reference type.

An object variable is always a reference type.

Classes and strings are reference types.

Struct and enum are value types.

Keep reading the example below.

// PrintedPage is a value type
// This is a struct
struct PrintedPage
{
    public string Text;
}

// WebPage is a reference type
class WebPage
{
    public string Text;
}

struct SampleClass
{
    public string Text { get; set; }
    public override string ToString() { return Text; }
}

void Main()
{
    // First look at value type behavior
    PrintedPage originalPrintedPage = new PrintedPage();
    originalPrintedPage.Text = "Original printed text";

    // Copy all the information
    PrintedPage copyOfPrintedPage = originalPrintedPage;

    // Change the new copy
    copyOfPrintedPage.Text = "Changed printed text";

    // Write out the contents of the original page.
    // Output = Original printed text
    Console.WriteLine("originalPrintedPage={0}", originalPrintedPage.Text);

    //-------------------------------------------------------------------
    // Now look at reference type behavior
    WebPage originalWebPage = new WebPage();
    originalWebPage.Text = "Original web text";

    // Copy just the URL
    WebPage copyOfWebPage = originalWebPage;
    // Change the page via the new copy of the URL
    copyOfWebPage.Text = "Changed web text";

    // Write out the contents of the page
    // Output = Changed web text
    Console.WriteLine("originalWebPage={0}", originalWebPage.Text);

    // Now change the copied URL variable to look at
    // a different web page completely
    copyOfWebPage = new WebPage();
    copyOfWebPage.Text = "Changed web page again";

    Console.WriteLine("originalWebPage={0}", originalWebPage.Text);
    Console.WriteLine("copyOfWebPage={0}", copyOfWebPage.Text);

    //-------------------------------------------------------------------
    // Strings are reference types too
    object obj1 = "OriginalString"; // create a new string; assign obj1 the reference to that new string "OriginalString"
    object obj2 = obj1; // copy the reference from obj1 and assign into obj2; obj2 now refers to // the same string instance
    obj1 = "NotOriginalString"; // create a new string and assign that new reference to obj1; note we haven't // changed obj2 - that still points to the original string, "OriginalString"
    /*   When you do obj1 = "NewString"; it actually holds a new reference, to another memory location, not the same location you gave to obj2 before. 
       IMP -  When you change the content of the location obj1, you will get the same change in obj2.
    */
    Console.WriteLine(obj1 + "   " + obj2);

    //-------------------------------------------------------------------
    object onj11 = 2;
    object obj12 = onj11;
    onj11 = 3; // you assigned boj11 to a new reference but obj12 reference did not change
    Console.WriteLine(onj11 + "   " + obj12);

    //-------------------------------------------------------------------
    /* Look below - it's possible for object to "reference" a value-type by the power of boxing. 
       The box is a reference-type wrapper around a value, to which the object variable refers.
    */
    int i = 2; // int is a value type
    object j = i; // variable