Let's Learn C# (03) — What is C#?

Intisar Bin Naim included in Let’s Learn C Sharp

14-09-2022 297 words 2 minutes

Contents

What is C#?

C# is a general-purpose, multi-paradigm, type-safe programming language that runs on the .NET platform.

Although the definition is short, there are several terms that need a little discussion.

General Purpose Language

“General purpose” means C# is designed to handle a wide variety of programming tasks. Here’s what you can do with C#:

Web Application Development: You can build dynamic websites and web apps for .NET or other platforms.
Desktop Application Development: C# is great for creating applications that run on your computer.
Mobile Application Development: You can use C# to develop apps that work across different mobile devices.
Game Development: With C# and Unity, you can create games for computers, mobile devices, and even AR/VR systems.
Internet of Things (IoT): C# can be used to program smart devices like Raspberry Pi for IoT applications.
Machine Learning: You also have options to work on machine learning using C#.

So, C# is truly a “general purpose” language because it’s so versatile.

Multi-Paradigm Programming

A “paradigm” in programming refers to the style or way you write and organize your code. C# is mostly known for object-oriented programming but it also supports other styles like functional, imperative, and generic programming. This is why we say C# is “multi-paradigm.”

Type-Safety

In C#, every piece of data is treated as an object with a specific “type.” Type-safety means that the language makes sure you don’t accidentally mix up different types of data. For example, you can’t treat a piece of text (string) as a number (integer) without converting it first. This helps prevent errors in your code.

The .NET (Dot Net) Platform

A development platform is a single collection of everything needed to build software or applications. .NET is a development platform. We’ll talk about .NET in the next post.