Description:
Visual C# is a new language for a new platform. It targets Microsoft's .NET Framework, which consists of a runtime engine along with an extensive class library. This enables security, version checking, and automatic memory management, including garbage collection. The compiler generates binaries in MSIL (Microsoft intermediate language). This is then further compiled to a native Windows executable at run time, or you can precompile for faster loading. The various .NET languages, including Visual Basic .NET and the Java-like J#, have similar capabilities, but most of the .NET Framework itself was coded in Visual C#. The language was designed to look familiar to C and C++ developers, for whom it makes an easy and natural transition. The Visual C# .NET package is a complete application development tool. It includes two form designers, Windows Forms and Web Forms (which essentially creates Active Server Pages in their .NET guise, or ASP.NET). Windows Forms applications are for rich clients, generally running on the desktop but with support for devices such as Pocket PCs through add-on smart device extensions. A great feature is that programming Web Forms is similar to Windows programming. By default all the code runs on the server, so although a Windows server is required, applications can work with any browser on any platform. A technique called "code behind" lets you keep code separate from HTML design, making Web pages easier and safer to maintain. Visual C# .NET has an excellent IDE, although you need to double the minimum system requirements for good performance. The main work area is tabbed so that integrated online help appears alongside the code and the visual design surface. Tool windows can be docked, floated, or hidden. Automatic code completion and dynamic help speed coding, while ToolTips reveal the type of any variable. There are a range of wizards, covering new projects, classes, components, visual controls, Web controls, Windows services, resource files, and more. For deployment, there is a setup wizard and a setup project type. Database access is through ADO.NET, which uses a disconnected model ideal for laptops and other mobile devices. ADO.NET works best with its own native drivers, but can also use ODBC drivers for wide compatibility. XML support is another strong feature. The .NET Framework includes class libraries for parsing and transforming XML, with support for W3C-approved XML Schema. XML also enables the use of typed data sets in ADO.NET, simplifying database programming. XML Web services are built-in, making Visual C# .NET a good choice for both creating and consuming these services. The IDE includes an XML designer, with visual tools for developing and editing XML Schema documents. As a product, Visual C# .NET offers a subset of Visual Studio .NET. If you want to use more than one language, then Visual Studio makes better sense. Having said that, the package does include the compiler and limited IDE support for C++, and the bundled .NET Framework SDK has command-line compilers for Visual Basic and JScript. Overall, Visual C# .NET is an excellent choice for developing .NET applications. --Tim Anderson, Amazon.co.uk
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