This is the Safari online edition of the printed book.

“Based on my own experience, I can safely say that every .NET developer who reads this will have at least one ‘aha’ moment and will be a better developer for it.”

–From the Foreword by Don Box

The popular C# programming language combines the high productivity of rapid application development languages with the raw power of C and C++. Now, C# 3.0 adds functional programming techniques and LINQ, Language INtegrated Query. The C# Programming Language, Third Edition, is the authoritative and annotated technical reference for C# 3.0.

Written by Anders Hejlsberg, the language’s architect, and his colleagues, Mads Torgersen, Scott Wiltamuth, and Peter Golde, this volume has been completely updated and reorganized for C# 3.0. The book provides the complete specification of the language, along with descriptions, reference materials, code samples, and annotations from nine prominent C# gurus.

The many annotations–a new feature in this edition–bring a depth and breadth of understanding rarely found in any programming book. As the main text of the book introduces the concepts of the C# language, cogent annotations explain why they are important, how they are used, how they relate to other languages, and even how they evolved.

This book is the definitive, must-have reference for any developer who wants to understand C#.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 29 Ratings

An Advanced C# - 2008-12-01
Reviewer Rating:
This is a "Collector's Edition" of the C# specification, that I believe is freely available on the Internet. The value in this book is that it is very nicely bounded and perfect for a software engineer's library. Also, the annotations provided by Anders Hejlsberg, et. al. are illuminating and thought provoking. While you could just print this out on your printer, I think this book is valuable for saving you time and being more durable.

The spec is also very well written and understandable to experienced C# developers. If you want to be an expert on C#, I think this book will put you in a very good position to do so.

C# Programming Language, The (2nd Edition) - 2007-03-08
Reviewer Rating:
It is a superior book... only for those that know C#, because the book is very technical. First chapters cover C# as BNF notation, and next continue explaining more in depth the first ones.

But really it is the definitive book to consult and learn C#, it is like Stroustrup's for C++. It covers minimal stuff about .NET and centers only in C# and explains ALL, but in a syncretic manner.

Superb Reference - 2009-01-18
Reviewer Rating:
Indispensable reference for C programmers wanting to move to C# using .NET 3. I was surprised to find that it eases in to the principles of OO programming rather than assuming knowledge. An invaluable learning tool.

Great reference for any C# programmer - 2009-01-12
Reviewer Rating:
I think the book is not geared for OO beginner but rather focuses on a list of features and design decision that went into C# language. I'd keep it close whenever i work on a project as it allows me to quickly reference and brush up on details within the language.

An excellent technical reference - 2008-08-28
Reviewer Rating:
This book is an excellent technical reference for C# 1.0 written by the language lead architect himself. It also presents some new C# 2.0 features. Be careful! This is definitely not the language tutorial for beginners.

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