C# Tutorial: Everything to Know

Programming languages are beneficial when communicating or giving commands to computers. C# is an object-oriented, simple, modern programming language that offers all the flexibility and features required by developers to build scalable and robust software. In addition, C# is open-sourced and has a strong community of developers backing it. 

This blog will discuss everything you need to know about the C# programming language for easy implementation in your projects! 

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C# is Easy, Intuitive, and Modern

C# is a modern, easy, and intuitive language. It was created with the motto to simplify learning and writing a language capable of providing many features and functionality to construct complex and straightforward software. Diving deep into the history and evolution of programming languages helps you understand that each programming language- from Java to C, C++ to Python – was developed and designed to solve a specific purpose or a challenge. 

C# was designed keeping in mind the evolving needs of enterprises. Dynamic software comprises many components and demands different technologies for working with various elements. However, C# resolved this problem as it enabled developers to create several modules and software using just one language – C#. 

C# supports web development, app development, and desktop tools development needs in modern-day development features. Some important features include variable types, auto initialisation, lambda expressions, dynamic programming, pattern matching, exception handling, etc. Further, the syntax of C# is influenced by the earlier languages like Java and C++, simplifying the learning and adaptation process, especially if you have a working knowledge of Java or C++. 

C# is Open Source and Fast

Under the .NET foundation, C# is an open-source language. The .NET Foundation is governed by Microsoft, keeping it an autonomous body. C# language specs, related tools, and essential compilers are open-source on GitHub. This provides the language with a large pool of active developers who act as a support group for new learners. As a result, C# is fast compared to other high-level languages and has a lot of performance improvements.

C# is Platform Independent

C# programming language is platform-dependent and can be executed across different platforms. So, you can develop .NET applications to deploy on Mac, Linux, and Windows platforms easily. In addition, you can also use C# applications in containers and clouds. 

C# is Safe, Secure, and Efficient

C# is a programming language equipped with many security measures to make it a type-safe language. It means, C# does not allow type conversions that may lead to a loss in data or other problems. The language also allows developers to write pristine, safe, and efficient code. All these reasons make C# a safe programming language and a choice of language for developers looking to build safe and secure applications. 

Now that you have an idea of the features of C# that make it a useful language let’s look at some concepts and syntax to help you get started with programming in C#. 

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Syntax and Key Concepts in C#

Let’s try to understand the syntax and working of C#. Here are some basic steps you need to follow before you write your first program in C#: 

The first step is finding a compiler: C# is not an interpreted language, so it needs a compiler first to compile the code and then execute it. So, find a compiler before starting to write the program. You will get different options for compilers depending on the operating system (OS) you use. For instance, if you are on Windows, you can use Microsoft Visual Studio, Visual Web Developer, etc. If you’re on Linux, you can use Mono, and likewise, there are other IDEs available for other operating systems. 

Once you have your IDE with you, the next step is to write programs in C#. Let’s see how that is done. Here is a simple C# program to print “Welcome to upGrad”. 

// C# program to print “Welcome to upGrad”

using System;

 

namespace upGradApp

{   

    class upGrad

    {   

        // Main function

        static void Main(string[] args)

        {

  

            // Printing

            Console.WriteLine(“Welcome to upGrad”);

  

            Console.ReadKey();

        }

    }

}

You get the following output when you run this program – “Welcome to upGrad”.

Let’s look at a line-by-line explanation of this C# code to help you understand how control is passed and how different statements are executed: 

• Comments: These are used for explaining the code and are similar to the comments in Java, or C. Comments can be single and multiple lines, helping developers know about the program. Example: //This is a single-line comment. And /*this is a multiple line comment*/
• using System: The using keyword adds the System namespace to our C# program. The namespace is simply a collection of classes, and C# requires us to perform a namespace declaration at the beginning of our program. 
• class: Our class contains all the data and methods used in the program. In simple terms, methods are used to describe the true behaviour of the class. Our class has only one method. 
• static void main(): The static keyword indicates the method is accessible without instantiating the class. The void keyword indicates the function will not return anything after complete execution, and the main() indicates the entry-point of our application. For example, in our program, the main() method specifies the behaviour of our class and triggers the statement that does the printing activity. 
• console.WriteLine(): WriteLine() is a method of the in-built console class defined in the System namespace. We can print output on the screen for the reader to view using this. 
• console.ReadKey(): This statement is for the Visual Studio users – and it makes the program wait for a keypress, so the screen doesn’t close as soon as the output is displayed. 

Note that C# is a case-sensitive language, and every expression and statement must end with a semicolon (;). 

Now that you have gone through your first C# code let’s look at some advantages and disadvantages of using C#. We’ll also briefly look at some use-cases easily accomplished using the C# language. 

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Advantages of Using C#:

• C# is easy to manage as all the garbage collection happens automatically. 
• There is no memory leak problem due to C#’s high memory backup. 
• C# has a lower maintenance cost than many other languages. 
• C# code is compiled to an intermediate language before finally being executed, which gives it cross-platform abilities. 

Disadvantages of Using C#:

• It depends a lot on the .NET framework and is not completely flexible. 
• Executes slowly, and the program requires compilation with each change. 

Use-cases of C#:

• Developing desktop, mobile, and web applications. 
• Creating large scale Microsoft applications. 
• With game development engines like Unity. 

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In Conclusion

C# is a crucial programming language for software and application development. We’ve given you a basic overview of the language and how to get started with it in this article. However, this is just the beginning. The software development world is complex and layered – but it’s also fascinating to explore. At upGrad, we’ve helped students and professionals excel in their software development careers. Our courses are designed to provide you with the best theoretical, practical, and environmental learning. Check out our Master of Science in Computer Science course, offered in collaboration with Liverpool John Moore University, and get yourself registered soon!