c# - How do I create a dynamic type List<T>

Question

I don't want my List to be of fixed type. Rather I want the creation of List to be dependent on the type of variable. This code doesn't work:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Collections.Generic;
namespace ConsoleApplication3
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {

            string something = "Apple";

            Type type = something.GetType();

            List<type> list = null;

            Console.ReadKey();

        }
    }
}

Can anybody tell me what changes I need to make in order to make it work right? I want the creation of list to be dependent on the type of variable something

Answer 1

string something = "Apple";
Type type = something.GetType();
Type listType = typeof(List<>).MakeGenericType(new [] { type } );
IList list = (IList)Activator.CreateInstance(listType);

This is how you create a list of statically unknown type. But notice that you are unable to mention the runtime type of the list statically. You have to use a non-generic type or even object.

Without knowing more about what you want to accomplish this is the best you can do.