C# 3.0 in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly)) [Paperback]

Joseph Albahari (Author), Ben Albahari (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0596527578 | ISBN-13: 978-0596527570 | Publication Date: October 3, 2007 | Edition: Third Edition

This is a concise yet thorough reference to C# 3.0 programming as implemented in Microsoft's Visual Studio 2008. C# 3.0 in a Nutshell gets right to the point, covering the essentials of language syntax and usage as well as the parts of the .NET base class libraries you need to build working applications. But unlike earlier editions, this book is now organized entirely around concepts and use cases, providing greater depth and readability.

C# 3.0 introduces the most significant enhancements yet to the programming language, and C# 3.0 in a Nutshell delves deep into the subject while assuming minimal prior knowledge of C#-making it accessible to anyone with a reasonable background in programming. In addition to the language, the book covers the .NET CLR and the core Framework assemblies, along with the unified querying syntax called Language Integrated Query (LINQ), which bridges the traditional divide between programs and their data sources.

Free of clutter and long introductions, this book provides a map of C# 3.0 knowledge in a succinct and unified style:

• Opening chapters concentrate purely on C#, starting with the basics of syntax, types and variables, and finishing with advanced topics such as unsafe code and preprocessor directives



• Later chapters cover the core .NET 3.5 Framework, including such topics as LINQ, XML, collections, I/O and networking, memory management, reflection, attributes, security, threading, application domains and native interoperability

Designed as a handbook for daily use, C# 3.0 in a Nutshell is an ideal companion to any of the vast array of books that focus on an applied technology such as WPF, ASP.NET, or WCF. The areas of the language and .NET Framework that such books omit, this one covers in detail.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joe Albahari is the developer of LINQPad (http://www.linqpad.net/) and other C# tools, and he writes about C# at www.albahari.com/nutshell/. He is the former core C# design architect at Egton Services and coauthor of the fourth edition of C# in a Nutshell. He has been developing large-scale enterprise applications for more than 17 years.

Ben Albahari is a former Program Manager at Microsoft, where he worked on several projects, including the .NET Compact Framework and ADO.NET. He was the cofounder of Genamics, a provider of tools for C# and J++ programmers, as well as software for DNA and protein sequence analysis. He is a coauthor of C# Essentials, the first C# book from O'Reilly, and of previous editions of C# in a Nutshell. He is the founder of TakeOnIt, a website for comparing opinions of experts, leaders and organizations

Product Details

• Paperback: 864 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; Third Edition edition (October 3, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596527578
• ISBN-13: 978-0596527570
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #377,415 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reference, December 20, 2007

By 

Scott Guthrie (Redmond, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: C# 3.0 in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly)) (Paperback)

I bought a copy of this book earlier in the week, and have been extremely impressed with it. It is one of the few books I keep on my desk as a quick reference.

What I like about the book is that it packs a lot of content, yet is structured in a way that is easy to read and lookup. Previous Nutshell series books I've used were more of an API reference (and contributed little over what you can lookup online in MSDN). This book doesn't focus on API listings (although it does include some tables of them), instead it quickly explains the relevant concepts in each chapter and provides real world code snippets showing how to use them.

Although called C# 3.0 in a Nutshell, the book covers much more than just C# as a language. The last 600 pages covers much of the core .NET Framework Base Class library - and has good chapters and samples on LINQ, XML, Streams, Regular Expressions, Threading, Collections, Serialization, etc. There is enough on each subject to be useful, while still being a quick read and easy to quickly look things up.

All in all, a book I recommend.

45 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good tutorial and a great reference, October 16, 2007

By 

calvinnme - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: C# 3.0 in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly)) (Paperback)

This book is for those who may have no prior knowledge of C#, but some general programming experience is necessary. If you're already familiar with C# 2.0, you'll find more than a hundred pages dedicated to LINQ and other new C# 3.0 features. In addition, many other chapters are designed to add to your existing knowledge of C# and the core Framework. If you're looking for a book that skims every NET Framework technology, this is not for you.

The first three chapters after the introduction are solely about C#. This section starts with syntax, types, and variables. It concludes with advanced topics such as unsafe code and preprocessor directives. Sections that apply only to C# 3.0 are clearly marked as such. If you're new to the language, you should read these chapters sequentially, with the exception of Chapter 4, whose sections can be read in any order. The remaining chapters cover the core NET Framework, which includes such topics as collections, LINQ, XML, streams, networking, reflection, security, threading, application domains, working with native DLLs, and diagnostics. You can read most of these chapters randomly, except for Chapter 6, Chapter 7, and Chapter 13, which lay a foundation for subsequent topics. The three chapters on LINQ are also best read in sequence.

The examples in this book require a C# 3.0 (or 2.0) compiler in conjunction with the Microsoft NET Framework 3.5 (or 3.0/2.0). You will also require Microsoft's NET documentation. The easiest way to get all three along with an integrated development environment is to install Microsoft Visual Studio. Any edition is suitable for what's taught in this book, including Visual Studio Express, which is currently a free download. Visual Studio also includes an express edition of SQL Server, required to run the LINQ to SQL examples, and IntelliSense, which pops up type member listings as you type.

Another option, if you don't mind using a plain-text editor and building at the command line, is to download the NET Framework SDK. This includes the compiler, NET documentation, and additional command-line tools. The lightest option is to download and install just the Microsoft NET Framework Runtime. This includes the command-line compiler; however, it doesn't include other command-line tools or any documentation. The table of contents, not currently shown as part of the product description, is shown next.

Chapter 1. Introducing C# and the NET Framework
Chapter 2. C# Language Basics
Chapter 3. Creating Types in C#
Chapter 4. Advanced C#
Chapter 5. Framework Overview
Chapter 6. Framework Fundamentals
Chapter 7. Collections
Chapter 8. LINQ Queries
Chapter 9. LINQ Operators
Chapter 10. LINQ to XML
Chapter 11. Other XML Technologies
Chapter 12. Disposal and Garbage Collection
Chapter 13. Streams and I/O
Chapter 14. Networking
Chapter 15. Serialization
Chapter 16. Assemblies
Chapter 17. Reflection and Metadata
Chapter 18. Security
Chapter 19. Threading
Chapter 20. Asynchronous Methods
Chapter 21. Application Domains
Chapter 22. Integrating with Native DLLs
Chapter 23. Diagnostics
Chapter 24. Regular Expressions
Appendix A. C# Keywords
Appendix B. Namespace-to-Assembly Reference

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid C# Reference Book, April 22, 2009

By 

George (Riverside, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: C# 3.0 in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference (In a Nutshell (O'Reilly)) (Paperback)

Own both this book and C# 3.0 Pocket Reference by the same authors. Pocket Reference is a great little book, it is short on detail and in depth information on the subject. In the Pocket Reference that is fine, but for more detail and in depth information C# 3.0 in a Nutshell is a good quality book. It is not one of the books that I have read cover to cover, but C# in a Nutshell is one of the first books I pull off the book shelf when I need to look up a concept. As stated in the title, it is a reference book and does that job very well. If the reader has a background in programming and just needs a reference book on C# concepts this is a solid book.

As one reviewer stated the book does have excess material which is not directly related to C#. That doesn't mean the information isn't important or valuable to anyone writing C# code.

If you want a quick overview of a concept and a peak at a code example, the Pocket Reference will do. If on the other hand you want a better understanding of the concept, choose C# In a Nutshell.