C# : What you understand by Value types and Reference types in C#.Net

In C# data types can be of two types: Value Types and Reference Types. Value type variables contain their object (or data) directly. If we copy one value type variable to another then we are actually making a copy of the object for the second variable. Both of them will independently operate on their values, Value Type member will located into Stack and reference member will located in Heap always.

Let consider each case briefly.

1. Pure Value Type
   
   Here I used a structure as a value type. It has an integer member. I created two instances of this structure. After wards I assigned second instance to the first one. Then I changed the state of second instance, but it hasn't effect the first one, as whole items are value type and assignments on those types will copy only values not references i.e. in a Value Type assignment, all instances have its own local copy of members. 
   
2. Pure Reference Type 
   
   I created a class and added a "DataTable" as a Reference Type member for this class. Then I performed the assignments just like below. But the difference is that on changing the state of second instance, the state of first instance will automatically alter. So in a Reference Type assignment both Value and Reference will be assigned i.e. all instances will point to the single object.
   
3. Value Type With Reference Type
   This case and the last case to come are more interesting. I used a structure in this particular scenario also. But this time it includes a Reference Type(A Custom Class Object) Member besides a Value Type (An Integer) Member. When you performing the assignments, it seems like a swallow copy, as Value Type member of first instance won't effected, but the Reference Type member will alter according to the second instance. So in this particular scenario, assignment of Reference Type member produced a reference to a single object and assignment of Value Type member produced a local copy of that member. 
   
4. Reference Type With Value Type 
   
   Contrary to the above case, in this scenario, both Reference & Value Types will be effected. I.e. a Value Type member in a Reference Type will be shared among its instances.