Howto get started with C# 4.0 and .NET 4.0?

Question

I don't want to download Visual Studio 2010.

1. How can I start studying (not developing real applications) C# 4.0 and .NET 4.0 with just a text editor?

2. Can I just download C# 4.0 compiler and .NET 4.0 framework and get started? How?

I have got Visual Studio 2008 but I learn from SO questions that it can't do the job.

Answer 1

You need .NET framework 4.0 (if it exists already). Compiler is part of .NET package.

Edit: Just checked and .NET framework is in beta 2 stage. Wouldn't go there just yet.

Answer 2

Use the command line compiler. Most text editors let you hook into this easily.

Answer 3

The C# compiler is part of the .NET Framework.

You can find it under C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\your_version_number\csc.exe

So, just open a text editor, write your source code, and compile it with the command line compiler.

Answer 4

Here are the download links:

• Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Beta 2
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4 Beta 2 Web Bootstrapper

Answer 5

First go and download the beta 2 of the .NET framework 4 (current at the time of this writing).

Now, make sure C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.21006\ is in your PATH environment variable.

Here's the MSDN page for the command-line compiler so you can see the options. For simple things it usually boils down to this:

// compile an executable
$ csc /out:App.exe *.cs
// compile a library
$ csc /target:library /out:Lib.dll *.cs
// compile with a reference to System.Core.dll
$ csc /out:App.exe /r:System.Core.dll *.cs
// compile with a reference to Microsoft.CSharp.dll (you might need this to use dynamic)
$ csc /out:App.exe /r:Microsoft.CSharp.dll *.cs

Of course try to use an editor with syntax highlighting. I believe C# 4 only introduces three new keywords, so you should be fine even with highlighting for version 3 (in and out already existed, but they are now valid in a new context and dynamic is entirely new).