Programming C# 4.0, 6th Edition

Chapter 1. Introducing C#

C#—pronounced “See Sharp”—is a programming language designed for Microsoft’s .NET platform. Since its first release in 2002, C# has found many roles. It is widely used on the server side of websites, and also on both the client and server in line-of-business Windows desktop applications. You can write smartphone user interfaces and Xbox 360 games in C#. More recently, Microsoft’s Silverlight platform has made C# an option for writing Rich Internet Applications that run in a web browser.

But what kind of language is C#? To understand a language well enough to use it effectively, it’s not enough to focus purely on the details and mechanisms, although we’ll be spending plenty of time on those in this book. It is equally important to understand the thinking behind the details. So in this chapter, we’ll look at what problems C# was built to solve. Then we’ll explore the style of the language, through aspects that distinguish it from other languages. And we’ll finish the chapter with a look at the latest step in the evolution of C#, its fourth version.

Why C#? Why .NET?

Programming languages exist to help developers be more productive. Many successful languages simplify or automate tedious tasks that previously had to be done by hand. Some offer new techniques that allow old problems to be tackled more effectively, or on a larger scale than before. How much difference C# can make to you will depend on your programming background, of course, so it’s worth considering ...