In C#, short is a keyword used to declare a 16-bit signed integer data type. It is a primitive data type that can store whole numbers in the range of -32,768 to 32,767.

Syntax

short variableName;

Example

using System;

class ShortExample
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Declare a short variable
        short myShort = 3000;

        Console.WriteLine("Value of myShort: " + myShort);

        // Perform arithmetic operations
        short result = (short)(myShort + 2000);
        Console.WriteLine("Result after addition: " + result);

        // Overflow example
        short maxShort = short.MaxValue;
        Console.WriteLine("Max value of short: " + maxShort);

        // Overflow will occur
        short overflowedResult = (short)(maxShort + 1);
        Console.WriteLine("Overflowed result: " + overflowedResult);
    }
}

In the example above:

• We declare a short variable named myShort and initialize it with the value 3000.
• Perform addition on myShort and display the result.
• Illustrate the concept of overflow by attempting to add 1 to the maximum value of short, resulting in an overflow.

It’s important to note that when performing arithmetic operations that may lead to overflow or underflow, explicit casting is required to avoid compilation errors.

Use Cases

• When memory optimization is crucial, and the range of values to be stored is within the limits of a 16-bit signed integer.
• Situations where the storage of larger integer values is not required, saving memory compared to int or long.

What Next?

In summary, the short keyword in C# is useful for scenarios where memory efficiency is a priority, and the range of values falls within the limits of a 16-bit signed integer.