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

~ (Author), Ben Albahari (Author)
Key Phrases: web services, composition strategies, object console, Visual Studio, Creating Types, True Console (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

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 Frameworkthat such books omit, this one covers in detail.

About the Author

Albahari is a freelance consultant and developer with over 10 years experience in designing networked systems.

Albahari is cofounder of Genamics, a provider of components for C# programmers, as well as software for DNA and protein sequence analysis. He currently is a program manager in the .NET Compact Framework team at Microsoft.

Product Details

• Paperback: 838 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 3 edition (September 1, 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 (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #61,012 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 53 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

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.

41 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

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

By	calvinnme "Texan refugee" (Fredericksburg, Va) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

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

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good nutshell book, February 9, 2008

By	Mo' Data (Redmond, WA) - See all my reviews

I recommend it for people who have already been programming in C# for a while and finally want to get all their facts straight. Also highly recommended for beginners to C#. This is however, not a programming tutorial.