If you’re just starting out in programming, you’re probably wondering which programming language to choose. Is there a language that will allow you to learn programming easily, but is also good enough to meet the demands of today’s job market and quickly find a well-paid job? The answer is yes, there is such a language, and it’s called C#. Combined with the .NET platform, C# is an ideal choice for beginner programmers who want to quickly and easily learn programming and start their career in the industry. In this article, I’ll give you 25 reasons why you should start your programming journey by learning C#/.NET.
1. Easy to learn
C# is a very easy programming language, making it a great first programming language for anyone who wants to learn programming. If you choose this language, it will probably be your only programming language, as it is quick and easy to create applications in, and you probably won't need to learn more.
2. Low barrier to entry
To start programming in C# you don't need to invest any money. Just install a free work environment on your computer and you can create your first applications.
3. Programming environment
As we are talking about the programming environment, C# programmers can work in Visual Studio, which is very supportive in writing code. It offers many tools and features that make creating applications very enjoyable. Visual Studio in the community version is completely free, so you can work and create applications in it without any problems.
4. High performance
Applications created in C# on the .NET platform are characterized by high efficiency, applications run quickly and smoothly. What's more, efficiency is increasing year by year. Microsoft has been putting a lot of effort into developing the entire .NET platform in recent years and the effects are visible.
5. Support for multiple platforms
Something that many people don't realize, because I keep hearing from some people who want to start learning programming that C# and .NET are Windows only. Nothing could be further from the truth. It used to be true, but for many years .NET has been cross-platform, meaning that applications written in C# can run on multiple operating systems, such as Windows, macOS, and Linux.
6. Object-oriented language
C# is an object-oriented language that allows us to easily create complex applications. Thanks to mechanisms such as inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation, abstraction, or modularity of applications, it will be easier for us to create and maintain written code.
7. Large community
The C# and .NET community is very large and developers are happy to share their knowledge and experience with others. This will make it easier for you to get support if you need it. Just visit a portal or forum and you will surely get answers to all your questions.
8. Libraries
A lot of code has already been written and you can use it thanks to various libraries, which also speeds up your work a lot. Do you need to add file logging to your application? No problem, you don't have to implement it from scratch, you can just use a ready-made library. Or maybe you need to send emails in your application or generate PDFs? No problem with that either, just add a ready-made library to the project and you can use the shared code. Similarly with other tasks. What's more, most of the best libraries are available for free.
9. Working with databases
Most of the applications that he will create will work with the database. C# helps a lot and makes it easier to work with the database. You don't even have to learn pure SQL, you can just use Entity Framework Core. Thanks to this, your code written in C# will be converted into SQL commands and queries on the database. Importantly, without losing the speed of queries.
10. Creating the user interface
Depending on the type of application you are going to create, the user interface is created in a slightly different way. If you are going to create web applications, you can create the user interface in Razor, which is a combination of HTML and C#. If you decide to create mobile applications, you will use XAML, similarly in desktop applications in WPF. You can also choose the simplest way of creating the interface using drag and drop, where you can drag a control and place it anywhere. Creating the interface in applications created in C# is also very easy and you have full support for it in Visual Studio.
11. Security
When we create applications, we want them to be secure, so that no one can access unauthorized data. On the .NET platform, we have a lot of security mechanisms that make our applications secure.
12. Testing support
We can easily create automated tests and test code we have written. We also have access to many tools that make such testing easier. Thanks to this, we can detect potential errors in our applications more often, faster, and more effectively, which in turn affects the satisfaction of our customers, users who work on applications we have created.
13. Different types of applications
In C# we can create console applications, desktop applications, mobile applications, web applications and even games. Every type of application is based on C#, so if you learn C#, you will be able to create any application.
14. Perfect choice for a freelancer
Due to the fact that we can create different applications, the choice of C# language will also be ideal for a person who wants to work as a freelancer and have a wide range of services. There is no need to learn several languages, here you will cope with any type of application that the client will need.
15. Wide choice of creating web applications
In C# we can create web applications tailored to various customer requirements. If necessary, we can create MPA type applications in ASP.NET Core MVC, i.e. Multi Page Application, but there is nothing stopping you from also creating SPA applications, i.e. Single Page Application. This is great, that knowing C# alone, you do not have to learn other JavaScript frameworks such as Angular, React, or Vue, because in C# you can create such applications yourself. However, programmers of other languages, if they want to work as full-stack developers, must learn the JavaScript framework in addition to their base language, and here in C# there is no such need. In addition, we can also create Web API. Here we have various frameworks that facilitate the creation of any type of application.
16. Used NOT only in corporations
I also often come across this myth. Beginners who are just finding their way often believe that C# is used mainly in large corporations. This is not true, I myself worked in several small companies and C# was also used there. The size of the company does not matter here. C# will be a good choice for both a small company and a large corporation.
17. Large and small applications
Likewise, the type of application, or rather the size of the application that we want to create, does not matter here. In C# you can create simple small websites, as well as large portals and applications developed for years. C# is perfect for each of these types of applications.
18. Cloud integration
C# also has a lot of tools and libraries that make working with the cloud easier. This allows you to create more flexible applications and easily and quickly deploy an application to the cloud (e.g. Azure).
19. Stability
C# and .NET are stable and mature technologies that have been developed for many years and have many documented solutions to problems, thanks to which applications written in C# are reliable and less prone to errors. I have been working in it since the beginning of my career and I have never had problems finding a job or completing a task for my client.
20. Good documentation
Microsoft provides many tools to support C# programming. You have access to full documentation, so if something is unclear to you, you can always look there and read additional information.
21. A large number of trainings and learning materials
Also, if you want to develop in C#, there are plenty of other learning materials, whether on YouTube, programming blogs, or dedicated online training. So you can choose the learning method that suits you best. Here I can also recommend a good training that is worth starting with. If you are interested, write me an email. I will be happy to advise you on this matter.
22. Game programming support
C# is also a popular programming language in the computer game industry. With Unity, creating computer games will be much easier.
23. Lots of job offers
C# is a popular programming language, and as a result, there are many job offers for programmers who know C#. Also, knowledge of C# can open many doors on the job market. For many years, I have been working only in C# and every day I receive many job offers in this language.
24. High earnings
Since there are many job offers, the salaries are also high. C# is definitely in the top of programming languages where you can get a high salary. If you look at job offers, you will notice some of the highest salaries in C#. Of course, your first job may pay a little less, but over time, as you gain experience, your salary will increase quickly.
25. Future-oriented
In recent years, Microsoft has been putting a lot of effort into developing the C# language and the .NET platform, so the platform is being improved year by year and gives us new possibilities. So it is definitely a language of the future and it is worth investing in it.
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