Essential C# 5.0

Essential C# 5.0 is a well-organized, no-fluff guide to all versions of C# for programmers at all levels of C# experience. Fully updated to reflect new features and programming patterns introduced with C# 5.0 and .NET 4.5, this guide shows you how to write C# code that is simple, powerful, robust, secure, and maintainable. Microsoft MVP Mark Michaelis and C# principal developer Eric Lippert provide comprehensive coverage of the entire language, offering a complete foundation for effective software development.

The authors illustrate key constructs with succinct, downloadable code examples. Graphical mind maps at the beginning of each chapter outline the material that is covered and how individual topics interrelate. This edition also includes new boxed C# Coding Guidelines that call attention to today’s best practices for writing C# code. Separate indexes of C# versions 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 make it easy to find answers specific to whatever version of C# you are using.

Throughout, topics intended for beginners and advanced readers are clearly marked. If you’re new to C#, this guide will help you start writing significant code quickly. If you’re an experienced C# developer, you’ll gain insight into today’s most complex programming challenges and techniques as you master key C# 5.0 innovations such as async support for Windows 8/Windows RT development. No matter how advanced your skills become, you’ll rely on this indispensable reference.

Essential C# 5.0 covers

• Mastering C# data types, operators, control flow, methods, and parameters
• Making the most of C# object-oriented constructs, including classes, inheritance, interfaces, and more
• Building reliable, effective exception handling into your code
• Using generics, delegates, Lambda expressions, and events to reduce code complexity
• Learning dynamic programming with reflection and attributes
• Querying virtually any type of data with LINQ with Query Expressions
• Creating custom collections that operate against business objects
• Understanding the Common Language Infrastructure and C# in the context of the .NET 4.5 development platform
• Taking advantage of declarative programming, embedded metadata, reflection, and attributes
• Thoroughly mastering multithreading and synchronization, including the new Windows 8 async paradigm
• Using P/Invoke, pointers, and direct memory manipulation to interoperate with code in other languages
• Understanding how C# programs relate to the underlying runtime

Eric Lippert is a principal developer on the C# compiler team at Microsoft, and a member of the C# language design team. He has worked on the design and implementation of several Microsoft languages, and on Visual Studio Tools for Office.