Introduction
Software development is more than just writing code, it's a process. Larger coding projects can take months or even years to complete and can be complex. The process of writing, debugging, testing, updating/versioning, and releasing code is a significant undertaking. To help with this process, developers use a specialized tool known as an integrated development environment (IDE).
An IDE typically includes a suite of tools that support the software development process from beginning to end, a process known as the development lifecycle. The IDE tools enable the developer to work more efficiently and can help the developer, or team of developers, to write, debug, test, publish, and version their code more easily. A good IDE is a programmer's best friend.
Suppose you're interested in getting started with C# application development. Your first step is to select a programming environment. After researching the available options online, you determine that Visual Studio Code is one of the most popular code editors among C# developers. You're happy to see that Visual Studio Code is quick and easy to install, and that it supports numerous extensions to enhance developer productivity. You also take a look at the full Visual Studio product, which provides even more features for professional developers. Both products include a free option. After consulting a developer friend, you decide that Visual Studio Code will provide all of the tools that you need to get started. You make plans to begin setting up your development environment with Visual Studio Code.
In this module, you install and configure Visual Studio Code to meet your coding requirements. You learn about the various panels and menus that comprise the Visual Studio Code user interface, as well as how and when to use them. Most importantly, you learn how to configure Visual Studio Code for C# development and how to create, build, run, and update a C# console application in Visual Studio Code.
By the end of this module, you'll be able to use Visual Studio Code to create and run your own C# console applications.
Learning objectives
In this module, you will:
- Download and install Visual Studio Code.
- Examine the Visual Studio Code user interface.
- Configure Visual Studio Code to use the C# extension.
- Install the .NET runtime library.
- Build and run a console application.
Prerequisites
- Experience using C# to declare string and numeric variables.
- Experience using C# to perform basic string and numeric operations.
- Experience using C# to display formatted output for the user.