Getting Started with C#

Getting Started with C#

To write and run C# code you need the .NET SDK (Software Development Kit).

Install the .NET SDK

• Go to dotnet.microsoft.com/download.
• Download the latest SDK for your operating system.
• Run the installer and follow the steps.

Check if .NET is installed

Open a terminal (Command Prompt on Windows, Terminal on macOS/Linux) and type:

dotnet --version

If you see a version number, you're ready to go.

Create a new console project

Use the dotnet command-line tool to create a project:

dotnet new console -n HelloWorld
cd HelloWorld

This generates a Program.cs file plus a project file.

Run your program

dotnet run

If you're starting from scratch, Program.cs prints:

Console.WriteLine("Hello, World!");

Editors and IDEs

• Visual Studio - the full-featured IDE from Microsoft (Windows).
• Visual Studio Code - lightweight editor with the C# extension.
• JetBrains Rider - a popular third-party C# IDE.

The command-line compiler

You can also compile a single file with csc (the C# compiler), but the dotnet CLI is the recommended modern workflow.

TL;DR

• Install the .NET SDK from dotnet.microsoft.com.
• dotnet new console -n Name creates a project.
• dotnet run builds and runs it.
• Visual Studio and VS Code are the most common editors.