C# is a modern object-oriented programming language developed in 2000 by Anders Hejlsberg at Microsoft as a rival to Java (which it is quite similar to). It was created because Sun, (later bought by Oracle) did not want Microsoft to make changes to Java, so Microsoft chose to create their own language instead. C# has grown quickly since it was first created, with extensive support from Microsoft helping it to gain a large following; it is now one of the most popular programming languages in the world.
What is C#?
It is a general-purpose language designed for developing apps on the Microsoft platform and requires the .NET framework on Windows to work. C# is often thought of as a hybrid that takes the best of C and C++ to create a truly modernized language. Although the .NET framework supports several other coding languages, C# has quickly become one of the most popular.
C# can be used to create almost anything but is particularly strong at building Windows desktop applications and games. C# can also be used to develop web applications and has become increasingly popular for mobile development too. Cross-platform tools such as Xamarin allow apps written in C# to be used on almost any mobile device.
C# for Game Development
C# is widely-used to create games using the Unity game engine, which is the most popular game engine today. More than a third of top games are made with Unity, and there are approximately 770 million active users of games created using the Unity engine. Unity is also used for VR, with 90% of all Samsung Gear and 53% of all Oculus Rift VR games developed using Unity.
C# is a very popular tool for creating these applications, and so makes a great choice for any programmer hoping to break into the game development industry, or for anyone interested in virtual reality.
C# is Easy to Learn ? But Complex
C# has many features that make it easy to learn. It?s a high-level language, relatively easy to read, with many of the most complex tasks abstracted away, so the programmer doesn?t have to worry about them. Memory management, for example, is removed from the user?s responsibility and handled by .NET?s garbage collection scheme.
It?s also a statically-typed language, so the code is checked before it is turned into an application. This makes it easier to find errors, something which can be particularly useful for beginners.
Although C#?s syntax is more consistent and logical than C++, there?s still plenty to learn. C# is a complex language, and mastering it may take more time than simpler languages such as Python. This means users do need to learn a substantial amount of code to create advanced programs, which may be off-putting for some new users.
C# is an In-Demand Skill
Being powerful, flexible, and well-supported has meant C# has quickly become one of the most popular programming languages available. Today, it is the 4th most popular programming language, with approximately 31% of all developers using it regularly. It is also the 3rd largest community on StackOverflow (which was built using C#) with more than 1.1 million topics.
This popularity translates into a thriving job market ? more than 17,000 C# jobs are advertised each month (globally) with an average salary of more than $72,000. Narrowing down to the US only, there are more than 6,000 jobs advertised each month with an annual salary of $92,000.
Learning C# With SoloLearn
The SoloLearn app and community is a great way to start learning C#. Regardless of whether you want to join a AAA game development company, or just learn to create a few programs for fun, C# is a great first language.
The SoloLearn course will teach you the basics through 69 lessons across nine different modules. Each lesson contains several quizzes (199 in total) to help you cement your learning through practice. The modules include:
Module 1: Basic Concepts
Module 2: Conditionals and Loops
Module 3: Methods
Module 4: Classes and Objects
Module 5: Arrays & Strings
Module 6: More On Classes
Module 7: Inheritance & Polymorphism
Module 8: Structs, Enums, Exceptions & Files
Module 9: Generics
Don?t worry if those module titles don?t mean too much to you yet, by the end of the course you?ll be well on your way to becoming a fully-fledged C# developer. When you join SoloLearn, you also get the benefit of joining a huge community of passionate learners who support and help each other. So, what are you waiting for?
Download the SoloLearn App today!
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