C# (pronounced ‘sea sharp’), one of the most popular programming languages in the world, was developed in 2000 by Microsoft. It’s an object-oriented programming language, which means it’s organised around objects rather than actions, and data instead of logic. C# brings together the computer power of C++ with Visual Basic’s ease of programming. It contains features similar to Java, and is designed to work on a Microsoft platform while using the .Net framework. So, what can you expect from C# in 2018?
Firstly, let’s see what you can do with C#. The quick answer is, almost anything. An article in Medium explains that C# is particularly good at building Windows desktop applications and games; however, you can also develop web applications and mobile development. It’s mostly used for large company applications – for example, processing of a bank’s transactions.
If you’re keen on becoming a game developer, C# is probably a good way to go. It uses the Unity Game Engine, which is the most popular game engine today. 34% of top free mobile games are made with this engine. It’s also used for the recently popular phenomenon, VR or Virtual Reality: 90% of all Samsung Gear and 53% of all Oculus Rift VR uses Unity.
As you can see, C# in 2018 has a wide range of uses, but how easy is it to learn? It’s a high-level language. This means the programming context is more user-friendly and more independent from the computer’s hardware architecture. This makes it somewhat easier to pick up. Many of the more complex tasks are abstracted away with C#. It’s also an easier language in which to find errors, because the code is checked by the framework before it becomes an application. You’re more likely to get the code right with C# than C++. However, it’s still a complex language that may well require more time and effort than Python, for example.
Let’s look now at some anticipated trends for C# in 2018.
Popularity of C# in 2018
The TIOBE index looks at the popularity of various programming languages. This is determined by looking at the following variables: number of skilled engineers in a particular language world-wide, courses offered in that language and third party vendors. This information is combined with popular search engine results for the different languages on Google, Bing, Yahoo!, Wikipedia, Amazon, YouTube, etc. For May 2018, same as May 2017, C# was ranked as the 5th most popular language.
Image Source: https://www.tiobe.com/tiobe-index/
This is substantiated by the PYPL, Popularity of Programming Language Index, which assesses how often language tutorials are searched on Google. C# is at #5, according to data from May 2018. The PYPL index is useful for helping you decide which language to study or to use in a new project. Here are their top six most popular languages:
Image Source: http://pypl.github.io/PYPL.html
C# in 2018: Do Developers Enjoy Working With This Language?
Yes, they do. This year’s 2018 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, based on responses from 101,592 developers, found that when it comes to languages that are loved, which means developers want to carry on working with these languages rather than others, C# came in at #8 (60,4% of developers loved C# in 2018).
Here’s a graph showing the eight most loved programming languages, according to the 2018 Stack Overflow Developer Survey.
Image Source: https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2018#most-loved-dreaded-and-wanted
Why might you enjoy working with C#? Here are some reasons, advanced by Stackify:
- As mentioned, it’s relatively easy to learn, particularly if you’ve done previous programing in C, Java or even JavaScript.
- Modern language features
- Versatility – C# is suitable for web, mobile, server and desktop applications
- Great developer tools – here’s a list of the best C# tools in various categories including IDEs, version control, testing, etc.
- Standardisation of skills – this makes it easier as a developer to move between teams and projects
- Open source – this results in a huge community of developers
Salary Expectations for C# Developers in 2018
According to Glassdoor, the average C# developer salary, as of April 2018 in the United States, was $79,954. The range extended from $61,000 to a high of $104,000 per annum. A C# lead developer was earning in the region of $94,939.
Image Source: https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/c-net-developer-salary-SRCH_KO0,15.htm
Demand for C# Developers in 2018
One way to calculate developer demand is to analyse job postings data. CodingDojo looked at the 7 most popular job posting ads on Indeed.com. C# comes in at #5.
Image Source: http://www.codingdojo.com/blog/7-most-in-demand-programming-languages-of-2018/
In conclusion, C# in 2018 will continue to remain in high demand owing to its versatility and popularity. If you take the time to master this language in 2018, you will be rewarded with excellent salary opportunities and good demand. If you’re interested in learning C#, consider HyperionDev’s 3-month C# Programming Essentials course.
