Getting Started with C#

Welcome to the C# documentation. This guide will help you set up your development environment and write your first C# program.

1. Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

• A computer running Windows, macOS, or Linux.
• An internet connection to download the .NET SDK.

2. Installing the .NET SDK

C# is a .NET language, so you'll need the .NET SDK (Software Development Kit). The SDK includes the C# compiler, the .NET runtime, and various tools.

1. Visit the official .NET download page.
2. Download the latest stable LTS (Long-Term Support) or Standard Term Support (STS) version of the .NET SDK for your operating system.
3. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.

3. Verifying the Installation

Open your terminal or command prompt and run the following command to verify that the .NET SDK is installed correctly:

dotnet --version

You should see the installed .NET SDK version number printed in the console.

4. Your First C# Program: "Hello, World!"

Let's create a simple C# application. We'll use the .NET CLI (Command Line Interface) for this.

Step 1: Create a New Project

Navigate to the directory where you want to create your project in the terminal and run:

dotnet new console -o HelloWorldApp

This command creates a new directory named HelloWorldApp and generates a basic console application template inside it.

Step 2: Navigate to the Project Directory

cd HelloWorldApp

Step 3: Examine the Code

Open the Program.cs file in your favorite text editor or IDE. It should look like this:

using System;

// The namespace declaration is a container for your code.
namespace HelloWorldApp
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // This line prints "Hello, World!" to the console.
            Console.WriteLine("Hello, World!");
        }
    }
}
        

Step 4: Run the Application

From within the HelloWorldApp directory in your terminal, run:

dotnet run

You should see the following output:

Hello, World!

Congratulations!

You've successfully installed the .NET SDK and written and executed your first C# program. You're now ready to explore more advanced C# concepts.