As the warm embrace of the summer envelops us, we take a deeper look at C# - a language that has left an indelible mark on the software development landscape. What's all the hype about and what makes the language one of the most preferred programming languages? Let’s find out. :)
The origin
Of course, one of the most important advantages is the origin of the language. C# (pronounced C “sharp”) is one of the most popular modern programming languages that accommodates multiple paradigms. It supports static typing, strong typing, lexical scoping, imperative, declarative, functional, generic, object-oriented (class-based) and component-oriented programming disciplines. The name is inspired by the sharp symbol used in musical notation to raise a note by a semitone. If you look closely, a # sign consists of four pluses placed in a two-by-two grid. This indicates that C# is an increment of C++. Released in 2000, C# remains the major technology for creating desktop applications on Windows. The applications written on C# use .NET runtime, class libraries and basically the actual .NET framework, so both technologies are often seen as inseparable. Presently, .NET is a platform and a programming framework for cross-platform development.
The language was created by Anders Hejlsberg from Microsoft in 2000 and subsequently gained international recognition when it was adopted as a standard by Ecma (ECMA-334) in 2002 and ISO/IEC (ISO/IEC 23270) in 2003. Originally introduced alongside the closed-source .NET Framework and Visual Studio, C# paved the way for a revolution in the programming world.
Easy to learn
Despite its name being similar to the well-known C and C++ languages, C# offers a significant advantage in terms of accessibility. As we highlighted earlier, C# follows an object-oriented approach, which makes it more convenient for beginners to learn. In contrast to the low-level languages like C and C++, which can execute any instruction that is compiled, even if it causes harmful effects to the operating system, C# takes a different approach. It carefully inspects the code during the compilation process, detecting errors and issuing warnings in time.
In addition, C# simplifies the memory management for the developers. Instead of requiring the explicit allocation and deallocation of the memory for data, C# automates this process, relieving the programmers from manual memory handling. This feature optimizes the coding process and reduces the possibility of memory issues.
A language that is supported by Microsoft
According to the PopularitY of Programming Language index (PYPL), C# is the 4th most popular one among all programming languages. It is notable that in 2018, it ranked 6th among the most searched languages on Indeed.com. Supported by Microsoft, C# is stable and shows no signs of disappearing.
For two decades, C# has been under active development, constantly evolving as new features are added. Among its strengths is the powerful LINQ library, cleverly designed to efficiently manage high-level data structures and objects in code. C# is carefully designed to meet the daily programmers’ needs, which makes it a universal and practical choice for a variety projects.
It's notable that the famous Microsoft integrated development environment (IDE) - Visual Studio, is written in C#. While Visual Studio can be used to program in a variety of languages, it shines brightest when used to develop in C#, which is an example of the language's tight integration with the Microsoft ecosystem.
Multi-platform software development
Although C# may seem confined to desktop applications on Windows at first glance, the vast capabilities of .NET transform it into a versatile language suitable for cross-platform development.
.NET provides C# developers with diverse runtime environments like Mono and Microsoft's own CLI. These runtimes play a vital role in .NET applications by translating C# code into machine instructions compatible with various operating systems.
A key advantage of .NET is its language interoperability, which allows seamless interaction between C# code and applications written in compatible languages such as C++, F#, Visual Basic and Windows PowerShell. This creates opportunities for many developers to use different languages within a single assembly, while increasing the flexibility and re-usability of the code.
Additionally, C# developers can leverage the robust .NET Core framework designed explicitly for crafting web services and applications. Empowered by customizable components, unified class libraries and a range of features, .NET Core significantly accelerates the development process, fostering efficient and powerful application creation.
Large community
C# developers are often referred to as .NET developers because of the general technology stack that is used in most cases. In Stackoverflow's 2021 developer survey, C# is ranked 8th among the most popular programming languages, especially among professional developers. With .NET Core securing the 5th position, there is a significant and dynamic community of C# developers.
In addition to the forums focused on .NET and C#, there is a formal resource called the .NET Foundation that serves as a collaboration and idea-sharing platform for all developers.
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