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Element operators

Context: Element operators return a single element (First, Last, Single, ElementAt) or a default value if not found.

int[] numbers = { 10, 20, 30 };
int first = numbers.First(); // 10
int last = numbers.Last(); // 30
int second = numbers.ElementAt(1); // 20
int firstEven = numbers.FirstOrDefault(n => n % 2 == 0); // 10
int missing = numbers.SingleOrDefault(n => n > 100); // 0 (default)

Real-world usage example

Getting a specific record: Use FirstOrDefault when retrieving a user by ID (handle not found case).

Example: In EF Core, FirstOrDefault translates to SELECT TOP 1.