How to learn C#

Learn C#: Tutorials for Beginners, Intermediate, and Advanced Programmers

Are you trying to teach yourself to code? Or are you already an experienced developer who wants to pick another language?

In both cases, you know how frustrating it can be to find good tutorials online. Sure, it’s easy to find “tutorials”, but separating the chaff from the wheat is a whole different story.

Of course, you have to pick a programming language to learn, and that’s far from being an easy choice, too. There are already a huge number of programming languages, and with each passing year, the list gets longer.

The goal of this post is to help you with both problems. We’re going to give you an answer to the “which language” question in the form of C#, which is a solid choice for novice and seasoned developers alike.

Then we’re going to offer you a list of 30 C# tutorials, from beginner to advanced level.

At the end of the post, you’ll be (hopefully) convinced that C# is the right choice for you, and you’ll have plenty of good references to help you on your journey. Let’s get started.

Why Learn C#?

There are many programming languages out there. In this post, we argue that C# is the best choice for a new language to learn, be it your first programming language or not. How can we be so sure?

Well, C# is a solid choice for a number of reasons. Unlike C++, for instance, C# offers automatic memory management.

It also offers solid type safety, compared to JavaScript and node.js. C# has robust base class libraries; the .NET framework includes hundreds of libraries for working with the file system, managing security, and more.

Microsoft heavily supports C#, issuing fixes and updates rapidly – so it’s a more readily updated language compared to other languages, such as Java.

The community can also contribute to the language’s design—filing bugs, sending corrections, or submitting features proposals—through the official repository on GitHub. 

Like Java, C# is one of the most popular programming languages, and as such, it has a large, active user community, making it easy to find troubleshooting solutions and coding help on StackOverflow and other online communities.

Microsoft released the C# language back in 2001. However, as of 2019, C# continues to be in huge demand. This is especially true since the release of .NET Core, and the trend is likely to go up.

With the new incarnation of the popular .NET framework, the C# language has become more versatile than ever. 

But the main point in favor of C# is that it’s very approachable. It has lots of sophisticated and advanced features that seasoned developers can put to use, while beginners can safely ignore those until they’re ready to handle them.

30 of the Best Tutorials to Learn C#

1. Tutorials Teacher

This tutorial is from Tutorialsteacher.com, which features free online web technology tutorials for beginners and professionals alike.

In addition to C#, you can also learn LINQ, ASP.NET MVC, jQuery, JavaScript, AngularJS, or Node.js. This C# course is especially interesting because it goes straight into programming after a brief version history and setup.

Key Topics:

Data types, classes, and variables

Switches and loops

Strings and arrays

Stream I/O

2. Lynda.com – Learning C#

In this tutorial by author Gerry O’Brien, topics covered include core language elements such as data types, variables, and constants. It also features a short tour of two fully-functional Windows Phone and Windows Store apps to motivate you.

There are also five challenge videos that allow you to test yourself, along with another five videos that explain the answers.

Key Topics:

Working with loops

Building functions

Catching errors

Managing resources with the garbage collector

3. C# Station

The C# Station Tutorial is a set of lessons suited for a beginner to intermediate-level programmers who are ready to learn hands-on with a compiler and an editor.

Topics cover everything from the basics right up to Polymorphism and Overloading Operators.

Key Topics:

Expressions, Types, and Variables

Namespaces

Introduction to Classes

Indexers and Attributes

Working with Nullable types

4. Deccansoft -C# Training

This series of tutorials from Deccansoft is led by Mr. Sandeep Soni, a Microsoft Certified Trainer, and cover almost all C# topics from the ground up. Each concept is explained at length using different walkthroughs and practical approaches.

The entire course is quite lengthy and features 26 modules split up into about 83 hours of video! It is advisable to have a working knowledge of any one programming language before you take this course.

Key Topics:

.NET Framework

Concepts behind CLR (Common Language Runtime)

Building a standard GUI for Windows based applications using WinForms.

Developing scalable applications using multithreading features of .NET

5. edX – Programming with C#

This tutorial comes from edX, an online educational services provider which also offers some courses from top universities and colleges. This is not a beginner’s course and requires you to have a prior understanding of programming concepts.

This tutorial by Gerry O’Brien is better-suited for existing programmers who want to learn a bit more about C# and the .NET environment.

Key Topics:

The C# syntax

C# language fundamentals

Object oriented programming

The .NET Framework concept