Datasheet

What Kind of Applications Can I Write with C#?

The .NET Framework has no restrictions on the types of applications that are possible, as discussed ear-

lier. C# uses the Framework and so also has no restrictions on possible applications. However, here are a

few of the more common application types:

❑ Windows Applications: These are applications, such as Microsoft Office, which have a familiar

Windows look and feel about them. This is made simple by using the Windows Forms module

of the .NET Framework, which is a library of controls (such as buttons, toolbars, menus, and so

on) that you can use to build a Windows user interface (UI).

❑ Web Applications: These are Web pages such as might be viewed through any Web browser.

The .NET Framework includes a powerful system of generating Web content dynamically,

allowing personalization, security, and much more. This system is called ASP.NET (Active

Server Pages .NET), and you can use C# to create ASP.NET applications using Web Forms.

❑ Web Services: These are a new and exciting way of creating versatile distributed applications.

Using Web services you can exchange virtually any data over the Internet, using the same simple

syntax regardless of the language used to create a Web service or the system that it resides on.

Any of these types may also require some form of database access, which can be achieved using the

ADO.NET (Active Data Objects .NET) section of the .NET Framework. Many other resources can be

drawn on, such as tools for creating networking components, outputting graphics, performing complex

mathematical tasks, and so on.

C# in This Book

The first section of this book deals with the syntax and usage of the C# language without too much empha-

sis on the .NET Framework. This is necessary, because you won’t be able to use the .NET Framework at

all without a firm grounding in C# programming. You start off even simpler, in fact, and leave the more

involved topic of object-oriented programming (OOP) until you’ve covered the basics. These will be taught

from first principles, assuming no programming knowledge at all.

Once you have done this, you will be ready to move on to developing the types of application listed in the

last section. Section two of this book will look at Windows Forms programming, Section three will look at

Web application and Web service programming, Section four will examine data access (for database, file

system and XML data), and Section five covers some other .NET topics of interest (such as more about

assemblies and graphics programming).

Visual Studio 2005

In this book, you use Visual Studio 2005 (VS) for all of your C# development, from simple command-line

applications to the more complex project types considered. VS isn’t essential for developing C# applica-

tions, but it makes things much easier for you. You can (if you wish to) manipulate C# source code files

in a basic text editor, such as the ubiquitous Notepad application, and compile code into assemblies

using the command-line compiler that is part of the .NET Framework. However, why do this when you

have the full power of VS to help you?

Introducing C#

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