which will be Beneficial?

If-else is a conditional clause while try catch is for error catching and handling. So they are very different things and thus not comparable. For more info see:
- http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/5011f09h(v=VS.100).aspx[^]
-http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/0yd65esw(v=VS.100).aspx[^]

It is like comparing Apples and Bananas.

They are completely different things.

If/Else is effectively a true or false comparison of a condition.

Pseudo Code:

If (Something) is true Do Action#1
Else Do Action#2

For Example:

if (UserInput.Name = "David")
{
    MessageBox.Show("Good Morning Dave");
}
else
{
    MessageBox.Show("I am Sorry, I can't do that.");
}

Try/Catch is a filter that stops things that are not already catered for.
(ie It will catch all things that do not have exceptions).

Pseudo Code:

Try [This Thing]
If [This Thing] OK Then Do Something
If [This Thing] Is unknown to the System, Go to Catch.

Catch [This Thing] Do something else

For Example

try
{
rtb.LoadFile("C:/test.txt");
}
catch (System.Exception excep)
{
MessageBox.Show(excep.Message);
}

If Helpful Please Vote Up

This is to summarize our expert's answers. If else is decision and branching logic. When you have a determined logic if else is useful.

If there is an undetermined condition, (just a guess possible) then error handling would be needed. Let the exception throw only on unexpected situation, not due to a bad coding. Throwing exception has little over heads. Also never use a general try catch block, use specific catch. otherwise the caller will not be knowing there is a problem. if exception can't be handled by a logic , don't stop it let it flow through the stack and notify it.

As others said both have different purpose, can't one replace the other.

both are logically same..
but i prefer TRY-CATCH