Discover the intricate world of .NET programming and its wide array of languages and applications. Learn how mastering just a few .NET programming languages can open doors to several professional roles from game development to website and mobile applications.
Key Insights
- .NET programming is an extensive framework consisting of 32 programming languages that was created by Microsoft in the 1990s. It became a staple resource for coders since it was adapted into .NET Core, an open-source tool released in 2016.
- With .NET programming, you can create new libraries and frameworks, making it highly versatile. It's a valuable skill that can be combined with other programming talents.
- .NET programming has a major presence in the $197 billion gaming industry. Unity, one of the most popular game-making resources, uses C#, a common .NET Core language.
- Learning .NET programming can be quite challenging due to the sheer volume of information and diversity of languages. However, starting with C#, F#, and Visual Basic can lay a solid foundation.
- .NET programming languages are similar to JavaScript and Python in usage and function, with many being object-oriented programming languages.
- Noble Desktop offers a wide range of web development courses that can be beneficial for those wanting to delve deeper into .NET programming. With options like the Full Stack Web Development Certificate program, you can master the fundamentals and lay the groundwork for your first tech job.
You might be curious about .NET programming and its overall difficulty. While .NET programming is challenging for new programmers, that’s because there’s a wide variety of uses, applications, and languages to explore. Most people can enter a professional role with only a few programming languages. If at least one is a .NET programming language, you’ll have a solid foundation to build your career.
This guide outlines how to make the process easier based on your schedule and comfort level with .NET programming. There are plenty of tools and resources available that will make it feel much easier than you would initially believe.
What is .NET Programming?
.NET programming is an extensive framework consisting of 32 programming languages and many resources. Microsoft created it in the 1990s to increase the usability of its projects. While Microsoft privately used it for a long time, it eventually became adapted into .NET Core, an open-source tool released in 2016. Since then, it’s become a staple resource for coders who complete projects with C#, C++, F#, and many other programming languages.
It’s good to know .NET programming because of its versatility. Many combine it with other programming skills to create new libraries and frameworks. For example, people who use Python can combine it with .NET Core’s resources to create a Python.NET library. With this skill under your belt, you’ll be able to mesh it with your other talents and use it to your advantage.
Read more about what .NET programming is and why you should learn it.
What Can You Do with .NET Programming?
.NET programming is especially prominent in the gaming industry, which has become a $197 billion business as of 2022. Unity is one of the most popular game-making resources on the internet, and its programming language is C#. This programming language is also one of the most commonly-used languages within .NET Core. C# helps power popular games like Among Us, Beat Saber, Hollow Knight, Fall Guys, and Pokemon Go, and many solo developers and AAA game creators use it as their games’ backbone.
.NET is also common in applications for websites and mobile devices, making web development, mobile development, and iOS app development excellent industries to explore if you have these skills. Why not combine these two uses into one? Mobile games have grown in popularity and are only expected to grow in the future. If you have app development skills, you can work in any industry because every business would love an app to accompany their products, tools, and services. Learn these skills and pick a field that piques your interest—that will take you far into your career, and you’ll work with something you enjoy.
What Are the Most Challenging Parts of Learning .NET Programming?
The most challenging part of .NET programming is sorting through everything you need to learn. Simply, the volume of information you’ll want to explore can seem overwhelming. Because .NET programming is a framework of 32 languages, it can seem hard to know where to start. Thankfully, it’s easy to narrow your starting point to three particular languages: C#, F#, and Visual Basic. Microsoft themselves recommend learning these three .NET programming languages because most companies have a use for them in some capacity. Once you’ve entered your chosen industry, you can learn more .NET programming languages that are more specific to your role and go from there.
How Does Learning .NET Programming Compare to Other Applications/Languages/Fields?
While .NET programming has 32 languages within its framework, they’re mostly similar to JavaScript and Python regarding usage and function. JavaScript works with frameworks, databases, and libraries, and it’s worth learning this skill since nearly every coding project will have uses for it. If you can code it, JavaScript can enhance it further.
Many of .NET’s languages are object-oriented programming languages, which means it organizes their code based on data (or “objects”) rather than logic. Python is also an object-oriented language, and it’s easier than most languages you’ll find in the .NET Core. Learning this language first will help you understand how to navigate object-oriented languages and allow you to focus on the quirks of the .NET language instead of learning everything from scratch.
Plan & Prioritize
Instead of jumping between a handful of programming languages within .NET at a time, it’s best to learn the skills that will impact your career and branch out from there. Look at your current career trajectory and see which programming languages will help the most. As mentioned above, C#, F#, and Visual Basic are likely the three you want to start learning first.
When you’re ready to start planning your classes, it can help to see how you can learn .NET programming online. If you’re still unsure about the topics you want to learn first, you can look into some video tutorials to get an overview and learn more before you start working with professional instructors. After you’ve taken some classes and have established rapport with your instructor, you can ask them which programming languages you should learn next to get closer to your goals.
Learn Web Development with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop
When you’re learning .NET programming, you’ll want to have mastery of the fundamentals, and all of those fundamentals can be exercised through learning web development. Since .NET programming covers front end and back end concepts, you’ll be well-suited to take a Full Stack Web Development Certificate program. Full stack covers both ends of web development and will lay down the groundwork you need to enter your first tech job before you even start exploring .NET programming.
If you feel overwhelmed by learning web development at once, try taking a Front End Web Development Certificate course instead. Front end web development covers the easiest three programming languages available—HTML, CSS, and JavaScript—and is the skill set of choice for beginners. If you’re up for a challenge and want to learn more coding skills beyond full stack, the Software Engineering Certificate program covers a broad range of topics, including web development, React, and Python. These topics have high usage in .NET programmer roles and will certainly be worth your while.
You can find more web development classes that will enhance these skills and give you a solid foundation to work from when you explore .NET programming in further detail. The best part about these programs is that they take place in real-time, offer free retakes, and feature experts in the field. Noble Desktop has your back no matter where you decide to take your programming journey.
