---
title: "default(MyStruct) vs new MyStruct() - what is the difference?"
description: "There are multiple ways to create a new struct, either via `var myStruct = default(MyStruct)` or via `var myStruct = new MyStruct(); `. Are there any differences?"
updated: 2022-04-13
tags: ["default", "C#", "struct"]
canonical: "https://steven-giesel.com/blogPost/f95934a9-e786-4236-b512-e821f4376feb/defaultmystruct-vs-new-mystruct-what-is-the-difference"
---

# default(MyStruct) vs new MyStruct() - what is the difference?

Since the beginning of .NET we have the [`default operator`](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/language-reference/operators/default#default-operator) which basically gives us the default of the given type.

```csharp
Console.Write(default(int)); // Prints 0
Console.Write(default(DateTime)); // Prints 01/01/0001 00:00:00
Console.Write(default(string)); // Prints nothing as the default of every reference type is null

```

For **Value Types** but more specific for `struct`s you could also do the same with the `new` operator:

```csharp
Console.Write(new int()); // Prints 0
Console.Write(new DateTime()); // Prints 01/01/0001 00:00:00
```

Now nothing fancy, unless we will bring C# 10 into the game: C# 10 brought us [parameterless constructors and field initializers](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/language-reference/builtin-types/struct#parameterless-constructors-and-field-initializers). So how does the following console output look like?

```csharp
new MyStruct().PrintToConsole();
default(MyStruct).PrintToConsole();


public struct MyStruct
{
    private int anyNumber;
	
    public MyStruct()
    {
        anyNumber = 10;
    }
	
    public void PrintToConsole() => System.Console.WriteLine($"My number is: {anyNumber}");
}
```

Two "10"s in seperate rows, not? **No**. The correct output is: 10 and 0. And the reason is simple:  `default` does not call any constructor when it comes down to `struct`s. It doesn't have to do this in the first place. Therefore every field / property will be also initialized with its default values. You can see this in action if you extend the c'tor of our struct with a `Console.WriteLine` like this:

```csharp
var a = new MyStruct();
var b = default(MyStruct);

public struct MyStruct
{	
    public MyStruct()
    {
	System.Console.Write("Hey, I was called");
    }
}
```

And only the `new MyStruct()` is printing something out. So be aware with C# 10 that `default(MyStruct)` is not always the same as `new MyStruct()`.