Filtering Operator - Where

Filtering operators in LINQ filter the sequence (collection) based on some given criteria.

The following table lists all the filtering operators available in LINQ.

Filtering Operators	Description
Where	Returns values from the collection based on a predicate function.
OfType	Returns values from the collection based on a specified type. However, it will depend on their ability to cast to a specified type.

Where

The Where operator (Linq extension method) filters the collection based on a given criteria expression and returns a new collection. The criteria can be specified as lambda expression or Func delegate type.

The Where extension method has following two overloads. Both overload methods accepts a Func delegate type parameter. One overload required Func<TSource,bool> input parameter and second overload method required Func<TSource, int, bool> input parameter where int is for index:

Where method Overloads:

public static IEnumerable<TSource> Where<TSource>(this IEnumerable<TSource> source, 
                                                  Func<TSource, bool> predicate);

public static IEnumerable<TSource> Where<TSource>(this IEnumerable<TSource> source, 
                                                  Func<TSource, int, bool> predicate);

Where clause in Query Syntax

The following query sample uses a Where operator to filter the students who is teen ager from the given collection (sequence). It uses a lambda expression as a predicate function.

Example: Where clause - LINQ query syntax C#
IList<Student> studentList = new List<Student>() { 
        new Student() { StudentID = 1, StudentName = "John", Age = 13} ,
        new Student() { StudentID = 2, StudentName = "Moin",  Age = 21 } ,
        new Student() { StudentID = 3, StudentName = "Bill",  Age = 18 } ,
        new Student() { StudentID = 4, StudentName = "Ram" , Age = 20} ,
        new Student() { StudentID = 5, StudentName = "Ron" , Age = 15 } 
    };

var filteredResult = from s in studentList
                    where s.Age > 12 && s.Age < 20
                    select s.StudentName;
        
Try it 

Example: Where clause - LINQ query syntax in VB.Net
Dim studentList = New List(Of Student) From {
        New Student() With {.StudentID = 1, .StudentName = "John", .Age = 13},
        New Student() With {.StudentID = 2, .StudentName = "Moin", .Age = 21},
        New Student() With {.StudentID = 3, .StudentName = "Bill", .Age = 18},
        New Student() With {.StudentID = 4, .StudentName = "Ram", .Age = 20},
        New Student() With {.StudentID = 5, .StudentName = "Ron", .Age = 15}
    }

Dim filteredResult = From s In studentList
                     Where s.Age > 12 And s.Age < 20
                     Select s.StudentName
Try it 

In the above example, filteredResult will include following students after query execution.

John Bill Ron

In the above sample query, the lambda expression body s.Age > 12 && s.Age < 20 is passed as a predicate function Func<TSource, bool> that evaluates every student in the collection.

Alternatively, you can also use a Func type delegate with an anonymous method to pass as a predicate function as below (output would be the same):

Example: Where clause

Func<Student,bool> isTeenAger = delegate(Student s) { 
                                    return s.Age > 12 && s.Age < 20; 
                                };

var filteredResult = from s in studentList
                     where isTeenAger(s)
                     select s;

Try it

You can also call any method that matches with Func parameter with one of Where() method overloads.

Example: Where clause

public static void Main()
{
    var filteredResult = from s in studentList
                         where isTeenAger(s)
                         select s;
}

public static bool IsTeenAger(Student stud)
{
    return stud.Age > 12 && stud.Age < 20;  
}

Try it

Where extension method in Method Syntax

Unlike the query syntax, you need to pass whole lambda expression as a predicate function instead of just body expression in LINQ method syntax.

Example: Where in method syntax in C#

var filteredResult = studentList.Where(s => s.Age > 12 && s.Age < 20);

Try it

Example: Where in method syntax in VB.Net

Dim filteredResult = studentList.Where(Function(s) s.Age > 12 And s.Age < 20 )

Try it

As mentioned above, the Where extension method also have second overload that includes index of current element in the collection. You can use that index in your logic if you need.

The following example uses the Where clause to filter out odd elements in the collection and return only even elements. Please remember that index starts from zero.

Example: Linq - Where extension method in C#
IList<Student> studentList = new List<Student>() { 
        new Student() { StudentID = 1, StudentName = "John", Age = 18 } ,
        new Student() { StudentID = 2, StudentName = "Steve",  Age = 15 } ,
        new Student() { StudentID = 3, StudentName = "Bill",  Age = 25 } ,
        new Student() { StudentID = 4, StudentName = "Ram" , Age = 20 } ,
        new Student() { StudentID = 5, StudentName = "Ron" , Age = 19 } 
    };

var filteredResult = studentList.Where((s, i) => { 
            if(i % 2 ==  0) // if it is even element
                return true;
                
        return false;
    });

foreach (var std in filteredResult)
        Console.WriteLine(std.StudentName);
        
Try it 

Output:

John Bill Ron

Multiple Where clause

You can call the Where() extension method more than one time in a single LINQ query.

Example: Multiple where clause in Query Syntax C# 
var filteredResult = from s in studentList
                    where s.Age > 12
                    where s.Age < 20
                    select s;

Example: Multiple where clause in Method Syntax C#
var filteredResult = studentList.Where(s => s.Age > 12).Where(s => s.Age < 20);

Points to Remember :

Where is used for filtering the collection based on given criteria.
Where extension method has two overload methods. Use a second overload method to know the index of current element in the collection.
Method Syntax requires the whole lambda expression in Where extension method whereas Query syntax requires only expression body.
Multiple Where extension methods are valid in a single LINQ query.