The best C# programming books from a C# expert

Why am I passionate about this?

I've been a C# programmer for 23 years, and am passionate about the language. It is the perfect balance of power and ease of use, and each year it is extended by its amazing development team. I've used C# to build stand-alone applications, mobile applications, APIs, and database applications and I've never felt constrained. Finally, C# lends itself to best practices and design patterns, and continues to rise in popularity, especially with professional software developers.


I wrote...

.NET MAUI for C# Developers: Build cross-platform mobile and desktop applications

By Jesse Liberty, Rodrigo Juarez,

Book cover of .NET MAUI for C# Developers: Build cross-platform mobile and desktop applications

What is my book about?

The best-selling .NET MAUI For C# Developers is for programmers who want to learn Microsoft's cross-platform framework for creating write-once run-everywhere apps. 

Complete with a real-world non-trivial example, this book takes you from the fundamentals through advanced topics; complete with quizzes and exercises. With a foreword by Maddy Montaquila (Leger) of Microsoft, this is the number one book for this exciting technology.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Programming C# 10: Build Cloud, Web, and Desktop Applications

Jesse Liberty Why did I love this book?

While it is true that I wrote the first few editions of this book, Ian has taken it over, revamped it, and made it an iconic work on the language.

It covers every aspect of C# programming, and explains not only how to do something, but why you would do it. It is chock full of best practices and patterns and anti-patterns, and is well written and engaging.

By Ian Griffiths,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Programming C# 10 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

C# is undeniably one of the most versatile programming languages available to engineers today. With this comprehensive guide, you'll learn just how powerful the combination of C# and .NET can be. Author Ian Griffiths guides you through C# 10.0 and .NET 6 fundamentals and techniques for building cloud, web, and desktop applications.

Designed for experienced programmers, this book provides many code examples to help you work with the nuts and bolts of C#, such as generics, LINQ, and asynchronous programming features. You'll get up to speed on .NET 6 and the latest C# 9.0 and 10.0 additions, including records, enhanced…


Book cover of C# 10 in a Nutshell: The Definitive Reference

Jesse Liberty Why did I love this book?

This is the definitive reference book on C#. The Albahari brothers have been writing about C# since the early bits, and they know the language inside and out. While this is a hefty book, you will find yourself using it frequently, and you'll be impressed by its comprehensiveness and utility. 

By Joseph Albahari,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked C# 10 in a Nutshell as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When you have questions about C# 10 or .NET 6, this best-selling guide has the answers you need. C# is a language of unusual flexibility and breadth, and with its continual growth, there's always so much more to learn. In the tradition of O'Reilly's Nutshell guides, this thoroughly updated edition is simply the best one-volume reference to the C# language available today.

Organized around concepts and use cases, this comprehensive and complete reference provides intermediate and advanced programmers with a concise map of C# and .NET that also plumbs significant depths.

Get up to speed on C#, from syntax and…


Book cover of Head First C#

Jesse Liberty Why did I love this book?

This book brings a unique perspective to learning C#. It is fun, easy to digest, and yet comprehensive and a serious contribution to books on C#.

You may well want to make this the first book you read on the language, as it is very approachable and covers all the essentials. O'Reilly has perfected the Head First series, and this book is an exemplary addition.

By Andrew Stellman, Jennifer Greene,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Head First C# as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Finally, there's a bright alternative to the legions of dull C# tutorials. "Head First C#" gives beginning programmers a way to learn Microsoft's popular object-oriented language without boring you with a pile of dry technical material. Through its visually rich format proven to stimulate both learning and retention, this unusual book takes you through C# fundamentals and how the language works to create user interfaces, databases, and more.You can forget about memorizing. "Head First C#" is strictly hands-on. From page one, you interact with the material through plenty of graphics, games, puzzles and more. Once you get the gist of…


Book cover of C# 11 and .NET 7: Modern Cross-Platform Development Fundamentals: Start building websites and services with ASP.NET Core 7, Blazor, and EF Core 7

Jesse Liberty Why did I love this book?

This book not only teaches the language, it puts it into the context of .NET. It is up-to-date and amazingly comprehensive. Don't be intimidated by its size (it is massive); that is a function of all that Mark covers. If you want one book that covers every aspect of C# and .NET, this is the one.

By Mark J. Price,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked C# 11 and .NET 7 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An accessible guide for beginner-to-intermediate programmers to concepts, real-world applications, and latest features of C# 11 and .NET 7, with hands-on exercises using Visual Studio 2022 and Visual Studio Code.

Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free eBook in PDF format.

Key Features Explore the newest additions to C# 11, the .NET 7 class libraries, and Entity Framework Core 7 Create professional websites and services with ASP.NET Core 7 and Blazor Build your confidence with step-by-step code examples and tips for best practicesBook Description

Extensively revised to accommodate the latest features that come with C# 11 and…


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