What exactly is C#?

"What does all this history have to do with C#?" I hear you ask. Well, the origins of the C# programming syntax can be traced right back to C and C++. If you are already familiar with C or C++ then you have a big head start in terms of learning C#. In fact the same can be said of syntax similarities between Java, C, C++ and C# syntax. In addition, C# also inherits many of the benefits of Java in terms of memory handling (better known as garbage collection) and an intermediate byte code that negates the need to recompile an application for each target hardware platform. C# is also accompanied by a vast framework of libraries designed to provide the programmer with readymade solutions to just about every imaginable scenario.

Despite these similarities there are differences between the Java and C# infrastructures. The remainder of this chapter will be dedicated to providing an overview of the C# infrastructure.