title: Is there a difference between DictionarySectionHandler and NameValueSectionHandler?
body: <p>In .NET, we can create custom configuration sections using the <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa903350(v=vs.71).aspx"><code>&lt;configSections&gt;</code></a> element, like so:</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;configuration&gt;
    &lt;configSections&gt;
      &lt;section name="dictionarySample"
               type="System.Configuration.DictionarySectionHandler"/&gt;
      &lt;section name="nameValueSample"
               type="System.Configuration.NameValueSectionHandler" /&gt;
    &lt;/configSections&gt;
    &lt;dictionarySample&gt;
      &lt;add key="key1" 
           value="value1"/&gt;
    &lt;/dictionarySample&gt;
    &lt;nameValueSample&gt;
      &lt;add key="key2" 
           value="value2" /&gt;
    &lt;/nameValueSample&gt;
  &lt;/configuration&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Above, I am defining two sections. One of type <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.configuration.dictionarysectionhandler(v=vs.71).aspx"><code>DictionarySectionHandler</code></a>, and another of type <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.configuration.namevaluesectionhandler(v=vs.71).aspx"><code>NameValueSectionHandler</code></a>.</p>
  
  <p>As far as I can tell, these two Handlers are used in exactly the same way and result in identical configuration sections.</p>
  
  <p>So, is there a difference, or can I use them interchangeably?</p>