Introduction to the C# Language

The evolution of C#

• Comparing different versions of C#
• Expressing C# models in UML

C# and the .NET infrastructure

• Common Language Infrastructure (CLI)
• Managed code philosophy
• Common Intermediate Language (CIL) and metadata

Language Fundamentals

Data types and control constructs

• Declaring implicit and explicit variables
• Value and reference types
• Unicode characters and strings

Defining and calling methods

• The Main method specification
• Passing arguments and returning values
• The scope and lifetime of variables
• Named and symbolic methods
• Handling exceptions
• Recovering resources

Employing .NET library classes

• Avoiding collisions by using namespaces
• Performing I/O using the Console class and stream classes
• Standard and Generic Collections

Developing C# Classes

Defining classes

• Encapsulating attributes
• Writing properties and indexers
• Providing consistent initialisation using constructors
• Overloading methods and constructors
• Achieving reuse through inheritance and polymorphism

Creating and using objects

• Allocating objects with new
• Passing initial values to constructors
• Choosing value or reference allocation
• Boxing and unboxing
• Invoking methods and accessing properties

Interconnecting Objects

Associating classes

• Manipulating references
• Physical vs. logical equivalence
• Selecting collection library classes
• Increasing reliability using generics

Exposing interfaces

• Defining an interface specification
• Implementing an interface in a class
• Interface polymorphism
• Indexers, events and delegates
• Overloading operators

Simplifying Component Development

Component features of .NET

• Manifests and assemblies
• Deploying components and applications
• .NET assembly metamodel

Writing .NET components in C#

• Creating and calling custom components
• Extending System.ComponentModel.Component
• Producing .NET components: a set of guidelines and standards

Interfacing legacy components

• Accessing COM/DCOM
• Tools for forward and backward compatibility
• Calling existing components

Integrating C# with other languages

• Harmonising components through the CLI
• Accessing metadata
• Handling cross-language differences

Implementing and Enhancing C# Solutions

Building multitier applications

• Generating user interfaces
• File I/O and serialisation
• Accessing databases with LINQ and EF
• Integrating C# extended features with LINQ
• Distributing using Web services

Standards and versions

• Standardisation via ECMA/ISO
• Features in various C# standards

Advanced techniques

• Automating documentation with XML
• Implementing the IEnumerable <T> interface
• Invoking extension methods
• Writing Lambda expressions
• Specifying development attributes