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We programmers are a demanding bunch, always looking for ways to improve the performance, efficiency, and portability of our programs. We also demand much from the tools we use, especially when it comes to programming languages.
There are many programming languages, but only a few are great. A great programming language must be powerful, yet flexible. Its syntax must be terse, but clear. It must facilitate the creation of correct code while not getting in our way. It must support state-of-the-art features, but not trendy dead ends. Finally, a great programming language must have one more, almost intangible quality: It must feel right when we use it. C# is such a language. Created by Microsoft to support its .NET Framework, C# builds on a rich programming heritage. Its chief architect was long-time programming guru Anders Hejlsberg. C# is directly descended from two of the world’s most successful computer languages: C and C++. From C, it derives its syntax, many of its keywords, and its operators. It builds upon and improves the object model defined by C++. C# is also closely related to another very successful language: Java.
Sharing a common ancestry, but differing in many important ways, C# and Java are more like cousins. Both support distributed programming and both use intermediate code to achieve safety and portability, but the details differ. They both also provide a significant amount of runtime error checking, security, and managed execution, but again, the details differ. However, unlike Java, C# also gives you access to pointers—a feature supported by C++. Thus, C# combines the raw power of C++ with the type safety of Java. Furthermore, the trade-offs between power and safety are carefully balanced and are nearly transparent. |
