c# - Where does the .ToList() go in LINQ query result -

when getting data populate data grid, have pulled data, made list , mapped model, this:

    public list<person> getpeople()     {         var data = _db.person.tolist();         list<person> people = new list<person>();          foreach (var item in data)         {             person person = new person()             {                 personid = item.personid,                 firstname = item.firstname,                 lastname = item.lastname             };             people.add(person);         }         return people;     } 

this works fine, in interest of writing less code discovered .select method , (what think is) anonymous type. have:

    public list<person> getpeople()     {         return _db.person.select(d => new person         {             personid = item.personid,             firstname = item.firstname,             lastname = item.lastname         }).tolist();     } 

though not easy read, works fine too. there preference either way?

the second preferred in cases. main differences are:

1. the second example turn projection sql statement, returning columns ask for.
2. the first example creates 2 lists, 1 of temporary , eligible garbage collection relatively quickly. may issue if people table large.

note if did not have tolist() after _db.person 2 methods virtually identical.

and not creating anonymous type since specify type (person). create anonymous type have new {... properties ...}

though not easy read,

i think once used linq statements select you'll find very easy read.