Head First C#

You want to learn C# programming, but you're not sure you want to suffer through another tedious technical book. You're in luck: Head First C#, Third Edition introduces this language in a fun, visual way. You'll quickly learn everything from creating your first program to learning sophisticated coding skills with C# 5.0, Visual Studio 2012, and the .NET 4.5 Framework, while avoiding common errors that frustrate many students.

The third edition offers several hands-on labs along the way to help you build and test programs using skills you've learned up to that point. In the final lab, you'll put everything together. From objects to garbage collection and from exceptions to interactions, you'll learn C# in a way that engages and entertains your brain. Here are a few of the topics you'll learn:

• Start by building a useful application with pre-built components in Visual Studio 2012
• Discover how objects work, using real-world examples
• Store numbers, text, and other basic data types using primitives
• Save complex data in files and databases with great C# tools
• Build intuitive and easy-to-use interfaces by following simple rules
• Design your code to catch exceptions—things you don't expect
• Develop good programming habits, such as refactoring code and applying unit tests
• Learn how web services put your programs in touch with the rest of the world
• Make it easy for other people to install your software

Head First C# is a complete learning experience for learning how to program with C#, XAML, the .NET Framework, and Visual Studio. Fun and highly visual, this introduction to C# is designed to keep you engaged and entertained from first page to last.

Youll build a fully functional video game in the opening chapter, and then learn how to use classes and object-oriented programming, draw graphics and animation, and query data with LINQ and serialize it to files. And you'll do it all by creating games, solving puzzles, and doing hands-on projects. By the time you're done, you'll be a solid C# programmer—and you'll have a great time along the way!

• Create a fun arcade game in the first chapter, and build games and other projects throughout the book
• Learn how to use XAML to design attractive and interactive pages and windows
• Build modern Windows Store apps using the latest Microsoft technology
• Learn WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) using the downloadable WPF Learner's Guide
• Using the Model-View-ViewModel (MVVM) pattern to create robust architecture
• Build a bonus Windows Phone project and run it in the Visual Studio Windows Phone emulator

Projects in the book work with all editions of Visual Studio, including the free Express editions.

Jennifer Greene has spent the past 15 years or so building software for many different kinds of companies. She's worked for small start-ups and some huge companies along the way. She's built software test teams and helped lots of companies diagnose and deal with habitual process problems so that they could build better software. Since her start in software test and process definition, she's branched out into development management and project management. She's currently managing a big development team for a global media company and she's managed just about every aspect of software development through her career.

Andrew Stellman, despite being raised a New Yorker, has lived in Pittsburgh twice. The first time was when he graduated from Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science, and then again when he and Jenny were starting their consulting business and writing their first project management book for O'Reilly. When he moved back to his hometown, his first job after college was as a programmer at EMI-Capitol Records--which actually made sense, since he went to LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and the Performing Arts to study cello and jazz bass guitar. He and Jenny first worked together at that same financial software company, where he was managing a team of programmers. He's since managed various teams of software engineers, requirements analysts, and led process improvement efforts. Andrew keeps himself busy eating an enormous amount of string cheese and Middle Eastern desserts, playing music (but video games even more), studying taiji and aikido, having a wife named Lisa, and owing a pomeranian.