Before we begin, there are a lot of misconceptions about C#, especially among the younger generation or developers trying to break into this field; when they hear C#, they may confuse it with C or C++ and start wondering.
What is C#?
The first thing to know is that C # is an object-oriented programming language from Microsoft. It came about because of the need to create a robust object-oriented language that would allow more complex programs to be built, something the older version of Visual Basic .NET couldn’t do.
C# — is a language that was released in 2002 and is used in various applications, including web development and desktop applications. So it’s not very old; compare it with PHP, Java, jаvascript, and Python, which are more mature languages.
A little history
When C# came along, Java was king, so Microsoft decided to create a language very similar to Java, but based on C ++ and Visual Basic .NET. In fact, C# comes from this assumption:
“We had C ++, we added ++, a hash formed, and we got C#.”
That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take the C# language seriously. It means that the language is young compared with other programming languages, and that it’s much better than many people probably think. So C# is alive and well, and supported by Microsoft.
What can you build with C#?
C# — is a general-purpose language that can be used in various applications.
Desktop applications
C# is also used to build desktop programs for both Windows and MacOS. In addition, you can build web applications with C#.
Web applications
Initially, they were built on Web.Forms, then MVC, and finally .NET CORE; now there is .NET 6. It isn’t limited to building websites. C# is also used to build mobile applications.
Mobile applications
In a failed attempt, Microsoft created the “written-off” Windows Phone operating system (which requires C# for its backend), and with the release of Windows 10, and now Windows 11, applications for this operating system are built in C# (and, of course, they are the product of the evolution of Windows Forms).
But we’re not stopping there, because there’s also Xamarin Forms. It lets you build cross-platform mobile applications—that is, ones that run on Android, iOS, and Windows.
Games
If you want to create video games, you can do that with Unity, too. If you’re not familiar with it, the Unity game engine is written in C ++ and is currently one of the most popular (if not the most popular) game engines.
In addition, games written in C # let you create augmented reality applications, that is, programs that let you create virtual reality holograms and interact with a virtual environment in 3D. You can use C ++ for this in Unity.
If you’re interested in virtual reality, Microsoft makes things easier for you with HoloLens, which, in my opinion, is one of the most advanced devices on the market.
AI applications
Using Azure cloud services, we can create artificial intelligence services that connect to our applications using C#.
Is C# dying?
No.
Microsoft has invested significant resources in making C# one of today’s leading languages, spending two billion dollars on marketing and trying to convince developers to use C#.
You should remember that one of C#’s strengths is also the .NET platform, which is incredibly popular among many programmers; if you said right now that C# is dying, 88 000 people in the US who work with C# would look at you in bewilderment.
C# offers plenty of career opportunities, and the more job openings there are, the more chances you have to show off your talent and land your first job as a developer.
Is C # worth learning in 2022?
C# is present on every platform, including desktop, web applications, future technologies, and games. So C# is definitely worth learning, since it’s a good option for working in the industry.
It’s easy to see that C# is everywhere. Anyone who claims this language is dying is wrong. C# is evolving rapidly, and new products are constantly appearing in it.
How long does it take to learn C#?
If you spend about an hour a day learning, it’ll take you around two to three months to understand the basics of C#. If you study more intensively, you can learn C# faster.
However, don’t be fooled by that number. If you want to become a professional C# developer, you’ll have to spend a lot more time learning this language.