How do I generate a random int number?

Question

How do I generate a random integer in C#?

Answer 1

I wanted to demonstrate what happens when a new random generator is used every time. Suppose you have two methods or two classes each requiring a random number. And naively you code them like:

public class A
{
    public A()
    {
        var rnd=new Random();
        ID=rnd.Next();
    }
    public int ID { get; private set; }
}
public class B
{
    public B()
    {
        var rnd=new Random();
        ID=rnd.Next();
    }
    public int ID { get; private set; }
}

Do you think you will get two different IDs? NOPE

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        A a=new A();
        B b=new B();

        int ida=a.ID, idb=b.ID;
        // ida = 1452879101
        // idb = 1452879101
    }
}

The solution is to always use a single static random generator. Like this:

public static class Utils
{
    public static readonly Random random=new Random();
}

public class A
{
    public A()
    {
        ID=Utils.random.Next();
    }
    public int ID { get; private set; }
}
public class B
{
    public B()
    {
        ID=Utils.random.Next();
    }
    public int ID { get; private set; }
}