C# OVERVIEW

Background

C# is a modern, general-purpose, object-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft and approved by European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA) and International Standards Organization (ISO).

The following reasons make C# a widely used professional language:

• It is a modern, general-purpose programming language
• It is object oriented.
• It is component oriented.
• It is easy to learn.
• It is a tructured language.
• It produces efficient programs.
• It can be compiled on a variety of computer platforms.
• It is a part of .Net Framework.

Following is the list of few important features of C#:

• Boolean Conditions
• Automatic Garbage Collection
• Standard Library
• Assembly Versioning
• Properties and Events
• Delegates and Events Management
• Easy-to-use Generics
• Indexers
• Conditional Compilation
• Simple Multithreading
• LINQ and Lambda Expressions
• Integration with Windows

Environment

We have already mentioned that C# is part of .Net framework and is used for writing .Net applications. Therefore, before discussing the available tools for running a C# program, let us understand how C# relates to the .Net framework.

The .Net framework is a revolutionary platform that helps you to write the following types of applications:

• Windows applications
• Web applications
• Web services

The .Net framework consists of an enormous library of codes used by the client languages such as C#. Following are some of the components of the .Net framework:

• Common Language Runtime (CLR)
• The .Net Framework Class Library
• Common Language Specification
• Common Type System
• Metadata and Assemblies
• Windows Forms
• ASP.Net and ASP.Net AJAX
• ADO.Net
• Windows Workflow Foundation (WF)
• Windows Presentation Foundation
• Windows Communication Foundation (WCF)
• LINQ

Microsoft provides the following development tools for C# programming:

• Visual Studio 2010 (VS)
• Visual C# 2010 Express (VCE)
• Visual Web Developer