C# Convert List to Dictionary

Try this:

var res = list.ToDictionary(x => x, x => x);

The first lambda lets you pick the key, the second one picks the value.

You can play with it and make values differ from the keys, like this:

var res = list.ToDictionary(x => x, x => string.Format("Val: {0}", x));

If your list contains duplicates, add Distinct() like this:

var res = list.Distinct().ToDictionary(x => x, x => x);

EDIT To comment on the valid reason, I think the only reason that could be valid for conversions like this is that at some point the keys and the values in the resultant dictionary are going to diverge. For example, you would do an initial conversion, and then replace some of the values with something else. If the keys and the values are always going to be the same, HashSet<String> would provide a much better fit for your situation:

var res = new HashSet<string>(list);
if (res.Contains("string1")) ...