An accessible guide for beginner-to-intermediate programmers to concepts, real-world applications, and latest features of C# 11 and .NET 7, with hands-on exercises using Visual Studio 2022 and Visual Studio Code.

Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free eBook in PDF format.

Key Features

• Explore the newest additions to C# 11, the .NET 7 class libraries, and Entity Framework Core 7
• Create professional websites and services with ASP.NET Core 7 and Blazor
• Build your confidence with step-by-step code examples and tips for best practices

Book Description

Extensively revised to accommodate the latest features that come with C# 11 and .NET 7, this latest edition of our guide will get you coding in C# with confidence.

You'll learn object-oriented programming, writing, testing, and debugging functions, implementing interfaces, and inheriting classes. Next, you'll take on .NET APIs for performing tasks like managing and querying data, working with the filesystem, and serialization. As you progress, you'll also explore examples of cross-platform projects you can build and deploy, such as websites and services using ASP.NET Core.

Instead of distracting you with unnecessary graphical user interface code, the first eleven chapters will teach you about C# language constructs and many of the .NET libraries through simple console applications. Having mastered the basics, you'll then start building websites, web services, and browser apps.

By the end of this book, you'll be able to create rich web experiences and have a solid grasp of object-oriented programming that you can build upon.

What you will learn

• Build rich web experiences using Blazor, Razor Pages, the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern, and other features of ASP.NET Core
• Write, test, and debug functions
• Query and manipulate data using LINQ
• Integrate and update databases in your apps using Entity Framework Core models
• Build and consume powerful services using the latest technologies, including Web API and Minimal API

For .NET 6 developers:

• C# 11 can be used with .NET 6, including features like raw string literals
• EF Core 7 targets .NET 6, so you can benefit from its new features like ExecuteUpdate and ExecuteDelete for more efficient data modifications

Who this book is for

This book is primarily for beginners, but intermediate-level C# and .NET programmers who have worked with C# in the past and want to catch up with the changes made in the past few years will also find plenty of useful information in it. Prior exposure to C# or .NET is not a prerequisite, but you should have a general understanding of programming before you jump in.

If you already have some C# and .NET skills and want to focus on developing apps, we recommend that you pick up Mark's other .NET book, Apps and Services with .NET 7, instead.

Table of Contents

1. Hello, C#! Welcome, .NET!
2. Speaking C#
3. Controlling Flow, Converting Types, and Handling Exceptions
4. Writing, Debugging, and Testing Functions
5. Building Your Own Types with Object-Oriented Programming
6. Implementing Interfaces and Inheriting Classes
7. Packaging and Distributing .NET Types
8. Working with Common .NET Types
9. Working with Files, Streams, and Serialization
10. Working with Data Using Entity Framework Core
11. Querying and Manipulating Data Using LINQ
12. Introducing Web Development Using ASP.NET Core
13. Building Websites Using ASP.NET Core Razor Pages
14. Building Websites Using the Model-View-Controller Pattern
15. Building and Consuming Web Services
16. Building User Interfaces Using Blazor