Updates from #MSBuild 2017 from the Future of C# talks
According to StackOverflow survey, C# is still one of the Top 10 most popular (#4) and most loved programming languages.
- Visual Studio 2017 is the fastest downloads ever
- Xamarin now have over 1 million downloads
C# 70 is already available as a part of Visual Studio 2017. Here is list of planned features in the upcoming versions.
- C# 7.1 First point release – tiny features.
- C# 7.2 Safe, efficient low-level code
- C# 7.3 Next steps for pattern matching?
- C# 8.0 Prototype features – Default interface implementations, Nullable reference types, Async streams and disposables, Extension everything
Original Article
It has been 16 years since Microsoft publicly announced C# language in 2000. Over the years, C# language has matured and has become one of the most popular and loved programming languages among Microsoft developers. As a matter of fact,
C# language is #4 among the most popular programming languages behind Java, C, and C++.
Today, C# is not only a Windows development programming language but can be used to build Web applications, Windows store apps, and mobile apps including iOS and Android. C# can also do more than that. If you’ve not already read my article, I highly recommend going and reading What C# Can Do For You.
At the Build 2016 event, Microsoft made several exciting announcements and one of them was integrating Xamarin as a part of Visual Studio “15” and beyond. Now C# developers can build iOS and Android apps that can spit out native iOS and Android code.
...the future of C# is very bright.
In the following Channel 9 video, Microsoft’s Dustin Campbell and Mads Torgersen talk about the future of C#. Here are some of the bullet points from the video:
- You can write C# in any editor you want
- C# is open source now
- C# runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux
- C# can be used to build Windows client apps, Windows Store apps, iOS apps, and Android aps and can also be used to build backend and middle-tier frameworks and libraries.
C# (via Roslyn, the C# engine):
- Supports all IDEs and editors
- All the linters and analysis tools
- All the fixing and refactoring and code generation tools
- All the scripting and all the REPLs
- C# 7 comes with new features including tuples, record types, and pattern matching. Here is a good article that explains these features: All about C# 7.0 Features
Watch this 59 min video to learn more details on the future of C#.
...C# is still evolving ...
C# is young and evolving.
Unlike other programming languages, C# is still young and evolving. Now being open sourced, C# is getting community involvement and new features are being decided by community. The following table summarizes the improvements made in each newer version of the language.
| Version | Year | Key features introduced |
| 1.0 | Jan 2002 | |
| 1.2 | Oct 2003 | Modern, object-oriented, type safe, automatic memory management, versioning control |
| 2.0 | Sept 2005 | Generics, partial classes, anonymous types, iterators, nullable types, static classes, delegate interface |
| 3.0 | Aug 2007 | Implicit types, object and collection initializers, auto-implemented properties, extension methods, query and lambda expressions, expression trees, partial methods. |
| 4.0 | April 2010 | Dynamic binding, named and optional arguments, Generic covariance and Contravariance, Embedded interop types |
| 5.0 | June 2013 | Async methods, Caller info Attributes |
| 6.0 | July 2015 | Roslyn (compiler-as-a-service), exception filters, Await in catch/finally block, auto property initializer, string interpolation, nameof operator, dictionary initializer |
| 7.0 | 2016 | Tuples, pattern matching, record types, local functions, Async streams |
As you can see, unlike other languages, C# is a continuous work and now it is open-source, expect more changes in future versions.
Roslyn (.NET Compiler Platform)
It is not fair to talk about C# but not talk about .NET and Roslyn. Roslyn is the code-name for .NET Compiler platform that provides open-source C# and Visual Basic compilers with rich code analysis APIs. It enables building code analysis tools with the same APIs that are used by Visual Studio.
.NET Core Framework
In late 2014, Microsoft open sourced its .NET Framework and renamed as .NET Core. .NET Core is not only open-source but also has expanded to develop native iOS and Android apps.
Mobile Development, Xamarin and C#
Microsoft acquired Xamarin, that allows C# developers to create mobile apps for Apple iOS, Google Android, and Microsoft Windows Phone. Xamarin primarily uses C# and XAML to build apps that can be compiled to native iOS and Android packages.
Summary
In this article, we talked about the future of C#. With .NET Core, UWP, Xamarin, and Windows 10, the future of C# is quite bright.
Prasham SabadraPosted May 13, 2017, 10:09 AM
Thanks Sir for sharing details on C#. I am SharePoint / Office 365 guy and very less worked on actual C#. Now If I want to learn how I'll start I mean preferred book or any kind of small project since this all is very vast. Also which is the latest certification for C# if I want to go for it. For net I get more confused!!!
Rehman ShahidPosted May 13, 2017, 4:20 AM
Looking forward for such an amazing evolution in c# language...
Thiruppathi RPosted May 13, 2017, 12:27 AM
Yes c# have bright futures. What about VB.Net?. I have here some viral "Microsoft goes to remove from their development for VB.NET". It's true?
Mohamed IbrahimPosted May 12, 2017, 6:22 PM
Thanks you sir for sharing this information
Ashish SrivastavaPosted Dec 15, 2016, 12:26 AM
Thank you Mahesh sir, you have shared very nice history of c#.
Mohammad MirshahiPosted Dec 13, 2016, 4:54 AM
Thanks sir ... it is so Interesting ...
Fabio Silva LimaPosted Dec 12, 2016, 8:04 PM
I work with C# since first version. I tryied to move to NodeJS... but dude, what Microsoft doing with .NET it's something to brace it. C# for life!!
Mahesh ChandPosted Dec 12, 2016, 5:43 PM
To answer the question related to the future of Dynamic CRM. Microsoft has been working on it and making it better and better each release. I also see more companies are adopting it. You should be good.
Amatya AgyeyPosted Nov 2, 2016, 12:28 AM
Thanks for Sharing
Manav PandyaPosted Sep 10, 2016, 11:30 AM
Glad to Be part of C# development ...
Hussain PatelPosted Sep 9, 2016, 9:57 AM
Thanks for sharing - info on C# future..
Nikhil SanganiPosted Sep 9, 2016, 8:27 AM
Proud to be a C# Developer
Vishal PrajapatiPosted Sep 9, 2016, 12:30 AM
Nice article
SubashPosted Sep 9, 2016, 12:26 AM
Thank you so much for share beautiful and proudly article to microsoft developers.
Piyush MahurkarPosted Jul 21, 2016, 3:36 AM
Proud having c# developer
Nigel FernandesPosted Jul 20, 2016, 9:44 PM
Good to know
Vivek KumarPosted Jul 20, 2016, 10:06 AM
Thanks for sharing
kalu singh raoPosted Jul 2, 2016, 3:21 PM
Nice...
Mahesh AllePosted Jun 15, 2016, 11:06 AM
Thanks you very much for sharing this one.
Srikanth AgollaPosted Jun 9, 2016, 3:21 AM
Thanks a lot
Karthik ElumalaiPosted May 18, 2016, 8:09 AM
Proud to be a C# specialist
Pawan TiwariPosted May 13, 2016, 1:10 AM
Nice analysis.. I'm proud having c# developer
Mohammed AshrafPosted May 13, 2016, 12:54 AM
Helpful information...thanks a lot
Mahendra SinghPosted May 8, 2016, 11:58 PM
Thanx for providing this info
Sonu ChaudharyPosted May 2, 2016, 7:00 AM
Thanks for sharing
Ashish SrivastavaPosted Apr 29, 2016, 5:24 AM
Very good info
Prakash TripathiPosted Apr 18, 2016, 1:58 PM
Good explanation sir. Now I can proudly say that C# has good future ahead and my career is going with right technology/platform.
Vivek KumarPosted Apr 17, 2016, 10:06 AM
Thanks for sharing...
Ammar ShaukatPosted Apr 15, 2016, 1:54 AM
Good to know.. thanks Sir.
Shakti Singh DulawatPosted Apr 12, 2016, 11:37 AM
Both article from you and details from Kenneth Truyers is very informative thanks
NitinPosted Apr 10, 2016, 1:21 AM
Thanks for sharing such useful info
Saurabh RaiPosted Apr 9, 2016, 1:25 PM
Now I can sharply C the future of c sharp. Thanks for the awesome insights Mahesh Sir!!
Rajeesh MenothPosted Apr 9, 2016, 12:46 PM
Great!! We are secure for a long time!!! Thank you for sharing Mahesh Chand sir!!
Gowtham RajamanickamPosted Apr 9, 2016, 4:30 AM
waiting for c#7
Gowtham RajamanickamPosted Apr 9, 2016, 4:30 AM
very good onfo
Prakash TripathiPosted Apr 9, 2016, 4:05 AM
Nicely explained Mahesh sir.
Debasis SahaPosted Apr 9, 2016, 2:03 AM
Good share..
Kuppurasu NagarajPosted Apr 8, 2016, 2:20 PM
Thanks for sharing.....
Nitin PanditPosted Apr 8, 2016, 2:07 PM
super waiting for C#7
Karthikeyan KPosted Apr 8, 2016, 12:17 PM
Thanks for sharing sir
Ankit KumarPosted Apr 8, 2016, 1:21 AM
thanks for sharing.....
Upendra Pratap ShahiPosted Apr 7, 2016, 1:50 PM
Very innovative for C# developer sir, thanks for sharing...
sreenivasa kPosted Apr 7, 2016, 1:05 PM
good.
Anil Kumar MurmuPosted Apr 7, 2016, 12:25 PM
feel good to be still with C#
Mahesh ChandPosted Apr 7, 2016, 11:13 AM
All are most welcome and thank you for nice comments. Working on next article, Future of .NET :) Cheers!
Debasis SahaPosted Apr 7, 2016, 10:23 AM
Thanks for sharing for this inspiring article..
Rupali ShindePosted Apr 7, 2016, 8:27 AM
Thanks for sharing sir. really useful article.
Former memberPosted Apr 7, 2016, 3:58 AM
@Mahesh why you did not compare c# with java ?
Shaili DashoraPosted Apr 7, 2016, 3:22 AM
Thanks For sharing sir...
Gowtham RajamanickamPosted Apr 7, 2016, 2:59 AM
good one..
Pankaj Kumar ChoudharyPosted Apr 7, 2016, 2:45 AM
Great News Sir.... C# is one of the most powerful language........
Rahul Kumar SaxenaPosted Apr 7, 2016, 1:50 AM
Now more confidence working with C# thanks sir
Thiruppathi RPosted Apr 7, 2016, 1:42 AM
superb...
Rahul Pushpendu BhaskarPosted Apr 7, 2016, 12:52 AM
Thank you ...It is good information
S.Ravi KumarPosted Apr 7, 2016, 12:37 AM
So true Mahesh Sir future of C# is very bright :)
Karthik ElumalaiPosted Apr 7, 2016, 12:17 AM
Thanks for useful information sir..
Vignesh ManiPosted Apr 6, 2016, 12:38 PM
Good one
Mohammed IbrahimPosted Apr 6, 2016, 12:12 PM
great information