Been a LAMP developer for years, now transitioning to the Microsoft Web Stack. Where do I begin?

Question

I've always worked with the standard Linux web stack (linux, apache, php, python, mysql) but have been given a great job opportunity working with a group that works with the Microsoft Web Stack (IIS, ASP.NET, MSSQL, C#).

There seems to be a pretty good Microsoft following here on SO. Where should I begin? Specific books, tutorials, online resources are appreciated.

Answer 1

The data access tutorials available here from the ASP.NET website are as good a place as any for the experienced IT professional to learn about SQL Server data access in ASP.NET.

Answer 2

MSSQL (other than some tweaks to syntax) and IIS will probably be less of a hurdle, unless you'll specifically be administering them. I'd focus on learning C# and ASP.NET.

A good resource for C# is the MSDN C# tutorials.

A good resource for ASP.NET is the ASP.NET Quickstart Site.

Answer 3

RampUp is Microsoft's intro learning site. There are learning paths based on the background of the developer (like you for a LAMP stack)

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/rampup/default.aspx

Additionally, the Asp.Net site has a bunch of tutorials and videos

http://www.asp.net/learn/

Answer 4

Would recommend www.learnvisualstudio.net great for staters.

Answer 5

ASP.NET MVC will probably seem more familiar to you than ASP.NET WebForms. And honestly, I think that most pro-shops are going to move towards it over the next 5 years.

There are some really good tutorials (the kind that WebForms still doesn't have) at this site.

http://www.asp.net/Learn/mvc/

Answer 6

If books are your best learning source then some I found helpful:

• Pro C#
• Pro ASP.NET
• CLR via C#

The third book is about the common language runtime (what executes compiled C# code).

Answer 7

ASP.Net has a few different approaches. There's inline coding (much like PHP and ASP Classic), code behind and MVC.

To start out I would just stick with inline coding. Working with ASP.Net controls and view states is pretty hairy at first so I'd get familiar with the syntax to start and then move on.

Answer 8

Lot of good web sites in this SO thread. I very much lke MSDN Virtual Labs. They have them on just about every technology in the stack and they let you get your hands on the technology and play around.

Answer 9

You should definitely read a good quality book, about C#, I would recommend a C# 3.0 in a Nutshell, Third Edition book, from O'Reilly.

Then you should look into some MS stack specific pages, as is the CodeProject (www.codeproject.com/) site.

At the end you should start read some interesting blogs, on technologies you will work with.

You definitely should not miss the following ones:

• weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/
• www.hanselman.com/blog/
• haacked.com

That would be for a start. :)

(sorry for missing links, but SO say I am a new user, and I can post only one link. :( )

Answer 10

I would suggest you read C# in Depth by Jon Skeet, who is a user here at SO. It will definitely help you master C#. The rest is gravy.