With this book, you’ll strengthen your C# foundation and gain the confidence to develop applications for services, web, and smart client applications. Additionally, you’ll learn about other Microsoft development tools such as ASP.NET Core and Entity Framework Core. Code samples help reinforce the concepts taught in this book, such as object-oriented development techniques.
How to Learn .NET
.NET is a developer platform with tools, programming languages, and libraries for building many types of applications. It is used in many industries and is a very valuable skill to learn if you want to become a developer. In this article, we’ll explore how to get started with learning this technology.
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What Is .NET?
Created by Microsoft, .NET (pronounced “dot net”), is a platform of collected technologies for building apps on Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, and other operating systems.
These technologies include .NET Framework, a software development framework for running websites on a Windows operating system; .NET Core, a cross-platform implementation for running apps and services on other operating systems besides Windows; and Xamarin/Mono, a .NET implementation for running apps on all major operating systems, including mobile.
When you are building applications with .NET, you will need to use C#, C++/CLI (a version of C++), Cobol, F#, or Visual Basic. C#, a programming language created by Microsoft, is a great beginning language to learn. Learning both C# and .NET is a great idea if you are transitioning into a tech career.
What Is .NET Used For?
.NET has many features. With .NET, you can:
- Build web and desktop apps and games. .NET is a flexible platform. Projects by users who posted on BuiltWithDot.Net include a YouTube downloader, an online pet adoption community, a desktop space adventure game, and an app for tracking invoices.
- Cloud services. Combined with Microsoft’s Azure, a cloud services platform, you can host your .NET applications in the cloud. And with .NET Core, you can quickly build and deploy .NET Core applications on Google Cloud.
- Machine Learning. You can easily integrate machine learning functionality into your .NET apps with Microsoft’s ML.NET. Add vision algorithms, speech processing, and predictive models to your apps. Companies that use ML.NET include SigParser, which predicts whether an email sender is a person or an automated system; Williams Mullen, a law firm that uses ML.NET for document classification; and Scancam, a device that detects fuel theft.
- Internet of Things (IoT). .NET supports hundreds of sensors, displays, and input devices. Some of these devices include temperature and humidity sensors, accelerometers, and gas sensors. With Microsoft’s open source library for IoT, you can build applications that can run on platforms like Raspberry Pi.
There are many companies that use .NET. These include Accenture, Stack Overflow, Trustpilot (a customer reviews website), and Paralect (a digital product engineering company).
Learning .NET
Learning .NET is a great idea if you want to build software. .NET is a popular platform. According to Stack Overflow’s 2020 Developer Survey, .NET came in second in the category Other Frameworks, Libraries and Tools. Moreover, .NET Core came in third.
As of this writing, on Glassdoor there are over 21,000 jobs in the United States that mention .NET. Roles that call for this skill include .NET developer, mobile application developer, software architect, IT developer, and full stack developer.
LinkedIn features over 38,000 jobs that mention .NET. Clearly, there are many opportunities for developers who want to use .NET in their work. According to Glassdoor, the average annual base salary for .NET developers is $68,524.
C# is a common language to use with .NET, so you will need to learn it. There are many resources available to learn this programming language, like this short tutorial from Microsoft for building .NET applications with C#.
How Long Does It Take to Learn .NET?
If you already know one of the languages compatible with .NET—such as C#, F#, or Visual Basic—it will take you two to three months to learn to use this platform professionally. If you don’t know any of these languages, you will need to learn one first. C# is a great language to learn for web development.
You should also know how to use Visual Studio, which is the IDE (Integrated Development Environment) that you will use to build projects with .NET.
How to Learn .NET: Step-by-Step
Assuming that you already know one of the programming languages used with .NET, here are some big-picture steps that you can take to learn this technology.
- Learn C# or another language compatible with .NET. In order to use the .NET developer platform, you should at least know the basics of one of its compatible programming languages, such as C#, C++/CLI,, Cobol, F#, or Visual Basic.
- Decide which specific .NET technology you want to learn first. There are several tools in the .NET platform, including .NET Core, .NET Framework, and .NET for mobile, such as Xamarin and Mono. Think about what your development needs and interests are as you are making your decision.
- Download the Community version of Visual Studio Code.Visual Studio Code is the IDE you will use for your .NET projects.
- Download the version of .NET you want. You can download the version of .NET that you want for free.
- Experiment with .NET tutorials. You can get started with .NET with this Hello World Tutorial, and there are many other .NET tutorials that you can try out.
- Learn more with a course or book. Check out the courses, books, and other resources listed below to grow your skills further.
What is .NET ?
.NET is a free, open-source, and cross-platform framework developed by Microsoft. It empowers developers to build a wide range of applications, including web applications, desktop applications, mobile apps, cloud-based services, and more. With its robust features and extensive libraries, .NET simplifies the development process and allows you to create powerful and scalable solutions.
- .NET Framework: The traditional framework for building Windows applications and web services. It has been around for many years and is still widely used.
- .NET Core: The successor to the .NET Framework, .NET Core is a modern, cross-platform framework designed for building applications that run on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- ASP.NET: A web development framework within .NET used for creating dynamic and interactive web applications and APIs.
- Entity Framework: A powerful Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) tool that simplifies database interactions and enables rapid application development.
- C# Language: The primary language used in .NET development. C# is easy to learn and highly versatile, making it an ideal choice for beginners.
Benefits of Learning .NET:
- Wide Job Opportunities: .NET is in high demand across various industries, offering plenty of job opportunities for developers.
- Cross-Platform Development: With .NET Core, you can create applications that run on multiple platforms, reaching a broader audience.
- Strong Community Support: The .NET community is large and vibrant, providing ample resources, tutorials, and forums for learning and collaboration.
- Seamless Integration with Azure: If you’re interested in cloud computing, .NET integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Azure, enabling you to deploy and scale your applications effortlessly.
- Set Up Your Environment: To begin coding in .NET, download and install Visual Studio Community Edition, a free IDE that provides all the tools you need for .NET development.
- Learn the Basics of C#: Familiarize yourself with C# syntax, data types, variables, and control structures. This forms the foundation of .NET programming.
- Explore .NET Documentation: Microsoft offers comprehensive documentation and tutorials for .NET, covering all aspects of development.
- Start Building Small Projects: Practice is key! Begin with simple projects, like console applications or basic web pages, and gradually increase the complexity.
Conclusion:
In this beginner’s guide to .NET development, we’ve explored the fundamental aspects of this versatile framework. We learned that .NET offers a wide range of possibilities, from building web applications to creating cross-platform solutions. With its user-friendly C# language and extensive libraries, .NET provides an excellent starting point for aspiring developers.
Remember, embrace the learning process as you begin your .NET journey, stay curious, and hone your skills by working on small projects. Strong community support and the vast resources available will be invaluable assets in your development journey.
Good coding and don’t forget to follow me. My .NET articles will continue…
