Topic 436 min readStructured Tutorial

Features of C#

Quick Answer

C# is a modern, object-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft. Its key features include strong type safety, automatic memory management, rich class libraries, and support for asynchronous programming, making it suitable for building a wide range of applications from desktop to web and mobile.

Learning Objectives

Explain the purpose of Features of C# in a practical learning context.
Identify the main ideas, terms, and decisions involved in Features of C#.
Apply Features of C# in a simple real-world scenario or practice task.

Introduction to C# Features

C# is a versatile programming language designed for building a variety of applications.

Understanding its core features helps developers write efficient and maintainable code.

C# combines the power of C++ with the ease of Visual Basic.

Object-Oriented Programming

C# is fundamentally an object-oriented language, supporting encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism.

This allows developers to model real-world entities and relationships effectively.

Classes and Objects
Inheritance and Interfaces
Polymorphism through method overriding and overloading
Encapsulation with access modifiers

Type Safety and Strong Typing

C# enforces strict type checking at compile time to prevent type errors.

This reduces runtime errors and improves code reliability.

Static typing with explicit variable declarations
Type inference with 'var' keyword
Nullable types to handle null values safely

Automatic Memory Management

C# uses a garbage collector to automatically manage memory allocation and deallocation.

This helps prevent memory leaks and simplifies resource management.

Garbage collection runs periodically to free unused objects
Developers do not need to manually free memory
Supports deterministic disposal with 'using' statement

Rich Standard Library

C# provides an extensive set of libraries for common programming tasks.

These libraries cover areas such as collections, file I/O, networking, and more.

System.Collections for data structures
System.IO for file and stream operations
System.Net for networking capabilities
LINQ for querying collections

Asynchronous Programming Support

C# includes built-in support for asynchronous programming to improve application responsiveness.

The async and await keywords simplify writing asynchronous code.

Avoids blocking UI or server threads
Improves scalability of applications
Simplifies handling of asynchronous operations

Additional Features

C# also offers many modern programming conveniences and advanced features.

Properties and indexers for encapsulated data access
Events and delegates for event-driven programming
Generics for type-safe data structures
Language Integrated Query (LINQ) for data manipulation
Pattern matching and tuples for expressive code

Practical Example

This example demonstrates a simple class with properties and a method, illustrating encapsulation and object-oriented principles.

This example shows how to define an asynchronous method using async and await keywords.

Examples

Simple C# Class Example

public class Person {
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public int Age { get; set; }

    public void Greet() {
        Console.WriteLine($"Hello, my name is {Name} and I am {Age} years old.");
    }
}

This example demonstrates a simple class with properties and a method, illustrating encapsulation and object-oriented principles.

Asynchronous Method Example

public async Task<string> GetDataAsync() {
    await Task.Delay(1000); // Simulate asynchronous work
    return "Data received";
}

This example shows how to define an asynchronous method using async and await keywords.

Best Practices

Use strong typing to catch errors at compile time.
Leverage object-oriented principles for code organization.
Utilize async/await for responsive applications.
Employ using statements to manage resources efficiently.
Write clear and maintainable code using properties and encapsulation.

Common Mistakes

Ignoring exceptions in asynchronous methods.
Overusing public fields instead of properties.
Neglecting to dispose unmanaged resources properly.
Misusing inheritance leading to tight coupling.
Forgetting to handle null values with nullable types.

Hands-on Exercise

Create a Simple Class

Define a C# class named 'Car' with properties for Make, Model, and Year, and a method to display its details.

Expected output: A class that can create Car objects and display their details.

Hint: Use properties with get and set accessors and a method that prints information to the console.

Implement an Asynchronous Method

Write an async method that simulates downloading data by waiting for 2 seconds and then returns a string message.

Expected output: An asynchronous method that returns a message after a delay.

Hint: Use Task.Delay to simulate the wait and mark the method with async.

Interview Questions

What are the main object-oriented features supported by C#?

Interview

C# supports encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism as its main object-oriented features.

How does C# manage memory automatically?

Interview

C# uses a garbage collector to automatically free memory occupied by objects that are no longer in use.

What is the purpose of the async and await keywords in C#?

Interview

They simplify writing asynchronous code by allowing methods to run without blocking the calling thread.