By Andrew Stellman, Jennifer Greene
November 2007
Pages: 778
Series: Head First
ISBN 10: 0-596-51482-4 |
ISBN 13: 9780596514822
(Average of 4 Customer Reviews)
Head First C# is a complete learning experience for object-oriented programming, C#, and the Visual Studio IDE. Built for your brain, this book covers Visual C# 2008, Visual Studio 2008, and the .NET Framework 3.5, and teaches everything from language fundamentals to advanced topics including garbage collection, extension methods, and double-buffered animation. You'll also master C#'s hottest and newest syntax, LINQ, for querying your data in .NET collections, SQL databases, and more. By the time you're through, you'll be a proficient Visual C# programmer, designing and coding large-scale applications.
Full Description
Do you want to learn C#? Programmers around the world have learned that C# lets them design great-looking programs and build them fast. With C#, you ve got a powerful programming language and a valuable tool at your fingertips. And with the Visual Studio IDE, you ll never have to spend hours writing obscure code just to get a button working. C#, Visual Studio and .NET take care of the grunt-work, and let you focus on the interesting parts of getting your programs written. Sound appealing?
Unlike other C# books, which just show you examples and expect you to just memorize them and move on, Head First C# gets you writing code from the beginning. You're given the tools you need, and then you're guided through fun and engaging programming projects. You'll build programs to play a card game, explore a house, and help lazy programmers manage their sick day excuses. But it's not all fun and games: you'll build business applications too, like a contact database and a program to help a party planner estimate her dinner parties. You'll build a dungeon role-playing game and a fully animated, colorful simulation of a beehive. And by the end of the book, you'll build a fast-paced, full-featured retro Invaders arcade game.
Make no mistake: by the time you're done with Head First C#, you'll be able to build full-scale, complex, and highly visual programs. And you'll have all of the C# tools you need to tackle almost any programming problem that comes your way.
Head First C# is built for your brain, using the revolutionary approach that was pioneered by the highly acclaimed and popular Head First series. You'll never get that bored, "eyes glazed over" feeling from Head First C#, because it guides you through one challenging project after another until, by the end of the book, you're a C# rock star!
Here's what you'll learn:
Throughout the book, you'll confront and conquer advanced C# concepts. Some of the most mysterious ideas are demystified and explained with clear examples: how Unicode works, events and delegates, references versus value types, the stack versus the heap, what's really going on with garbage collection, and more.
Thousands of readers have learned C# using this innovative book, including:
Head First C# is built to work with any version of Visual Studio 2008, including the free express edition. (It can also can be used with any version of Visual Studio 2005.)
Browse within this book
Unlike other C# books, which just show you examples and expect you to just memorize them and move on, Head First C# gets you writing code from the beginning. You're given the tools you need, and then you're guided through fun and engaging programming projects. You'll build programs to play a card game, explore a house, and help lazy programmers manage their sick day excuses. But it's not all fun and games: you'll build business applications too, like a contact database and a program to help a party planner estimate her dinner parties. You'll build a dungeon role-playing game and a fully animated, colorful simulation of a beehive. And by the end of the book, you'll build a fast-paced, full-featured retro Invaders arcade game.
Make no mistake: by the time you're done with Head First C#, you'll be able to build full-scale, complex, and highly visual programs. And you'll have all of the C# tools you need to tackle almost any programming problem that comes your way.
Head First C# is built for your brain, using the revolutionary approach that was pioneered by the highly acclaimed and popular Head First series. You'll never get that bored, "eyes glazed over" feeling from Head First C#, because it guides you through one challenging project after another until, by the end of the book, you're a C# rock star!
Here's what you'll learn:
- Core C# programming concepts
- How to use the Visual Studio 2008 IDE to build, debug and run your programs
- Important .NET 3.5 features, including generic collections, Windows forms, GDI+ graphics, streams, serialization and more
- Using object oriented programming concepts to help you build well-designed programs
- How to build robust applications with good error handling
- The latest C# 3.0 features, including LINQ, object and collection initializers, automatic properties, extension methods and more
Throughout the book, you'll confront and conquer advanced C# concepts. Some of the most mysterious ideas are demystified and explained with clear examples: how Unicode works, events and delegates, references versus value types, the stack versus the heap, what's really going on with garbage collection, and more.
Thousands of readers have learned C# using this innovative book, including:
- Beginning programmers who want to learn programming from the ground up
- More advanced programmers who are proficient in another language (like Visual Basic, Java, SQL, FoxPro) and want to add C# to their toolbox
- Programmers who understand basic C# syntax, but are still looking to get a handle on how objects work
- Anyone who's tried to learn C#, but had to deal with books full of dull examples and nothing but boring console applications
- Lots of people who just want to learn how to build cool games!
Head First C# is built to work with any version of Visual Studio 2008, including the free express edition. (It can also can be used with any version of Visual Studio 2005.)
Cover | Table of Contents | Index | Sample Chapter
Featured customer reviews
A very great book!, August 20 2008
Rating:
Submitted by
GColgrove
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I got this book because I wanted something easy to read and learn C#. My expectations were met. This book is very easy to follow. I feel the content is just as involved as the more wordy books but it leads you to the knowledge by practice rather then verbage.
This book is a 700+/- page workbook that will aid you in learning the language effectively. It is not a reference book - unless you want examples.
Examples and excersizes are presented similar to worksheets you would have had in elementary school, but the work is sophisticated enough for college entry. If you do all the excersizes you will be an efficient programmer in C#.
For those who are visual learners; for those who have the attention span of an average A.D.D. student in elementary (i.e. me); for those who need to learn C# yesterday this book is for you. It will keep you going until you get to the last page.
Enjoy!
Unique and the first, friendly book about C# for everything!!!, April 27 2008
Rating:
Submitted by
Michal Jagiela
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Unique and the first, friendly book about C# for everything!!!
Head First C#, it’s a great book, I first see this friendly book, this is incredibly quality and value for all people. About this book, all people can speak only three words … incredibly great job! When I firstly opened this book, I thinking … it’s illustrated book for professional developers, hmm … but when I read first chapter … I know, this is only one good book at the world, seriously. I don’t know how people can learn C# from another book, I don’t know, I love this book, this is unique and very professional experience, first class!
At the fifteen chapters authors presented all developer techniques and programming core about C#, from create first, smart application in Visual Studio Express Edition to create professional and dynamic application with newest solution from NET Framework, for example author presented LINQ or new extenders for C# at 2008.
Andrew Stellman and Jennifer Greene prepare wonderful book for all people. If You decided to explore C# world, You must started Your travel with this book. You can quickly started create very useful and professional application in small time, and small work! All code techniques, tricks and method to delivery good experience for clients You find at this book. If You thinking about create commercial software, You should create this with Head First C# book, too.
About chapters, at the first chapter, authors inform You about possibilities to create good application with 10 minutes! Yes, it’s possible, with this book I create this application with this time, and It’s very easy. If You are thinking about build great program with really fast time, You must read this chapter. You find information why You should thinking about C#, how create new project, add useful interface and connect Your application with remote data, for example SQL Server and database techniques.
Next chapters, presented C# programming core with Visual Studio IDE. You can find info about programming method, language theory and practice example. Please thinking … your code must have a sense Head First C# is not book what presented virtual tasks, and virtual applications, every sample, every method have a real-world solution and this is very useful learn method.
Sometimes chapters presented advanced topics, from encapsulation, to interfaces or abstract classes, but authors have a good idea to present advanced topics, and doing this with very funny words. With this You can better find road to be very professional C# developer!
This book is very different from other, but it’s good! This is complete learning for all people who’s go to C# way, smart chapters, funny texts, practice example , every it’s great job!
You must have this book, seriously.
Head First C# - Must have, March 20 2008
Rating:
Submitted by
rvarkelen
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Like other Head First books this one really is a charm. Chapter 1 starts with the full power of C# and Visual Studio, it grabs your attention and just won't let go. After this initial chapter it's going into the depths of this language, every aspect of modern software engineering is learned through learnable and cognitive chapters, tasks and exercises.
Chapter 2 introduces the Visual Studio IDE including project/file structures, it decomposes sourcefiles and explains whats happening "under the hood". The language is introduced, step by step; variables, loops, namespaces, statements. From that chapter on things like full OOP, behaviour, events, LINQ, delegates etc. etc. are introduced.
Things I mostly learned with this book are LINQ, delegates, buffering/doublebuffering.
I would like to invite every C# programmer to buy this book, novice or advanced, it's a real supplement to your collection. All steps towards great software are mentioned.
Great book, November 26 2007
Rating:
Submitted by
koolbing
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Great book to learn C# skills.
Media reviews
"Head First C# is absolutely the best introduction to the C# language for C# beginners...I have already expressed myself elsewhere on the Head First Series and my enthusiasm remains strong. And, I would like to remind the reader not to skip around in the text; rather, they should work methodically through the various steps and sections in order to benefit from this structured teaching style. Trust the authors; and, let the book work its magic on you. (What? No "Hello, World!" program?!)"
-- Will Wagers, C# Online
"As with any good teacher, this O’Reilly series attacks the material from a variety of angles. If you know it, or you’re a quick learner, you can breeze right through. If you’re like me, they try everything possible to make things comprehensible."
-- Dana Blankenhorn, Dana Blankenhorn & Paula Rooney, ZDNet.com
"The introduction to this particular book discusses how the series attempts to present the concepts and technical material in a way that is far more intellectually compelling and memorable than the approach currently taken by most books...Although the book will be of most value to newer programmers, experienced C# programmers will find topics of interest and perhaps even some language details and analysis that they have never previously encountered."
-- Michael J. Ross, Web Developer, with Greg Hanson, Slashdot.org
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"Head First C# is absolutely the best introduction to the C# language for C# beginners."
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