What is the difference between reference types and value types in C#?

In C#, reference types and value types are two distinct data types.

Values types are data stored directly in the stack, holding the actual data values. When a value type variable is assigned to another variable, the value is copied. Common value types include integers (int), floating point numbers (float), boolean values (bool), etc.

Reference types are data stored in the heap, which hold references to objects (memory addresses) rather than actual data values. When a reference type variable is assigned to another variable, what actually happens is that the reference is copied to the new variable, and both variables point to the same object. Common reference types include classes, interfaces, and arrays.

Therefore, the difference between value types and reference types lies in the fact that value types store the actual data values, while reference types store references to objects. When dealing with value types, the actual data values are copied, while when dealing with reference types, the object references are copied.