If one is proficient in Java, is it easy to cross over to C#?

Question

I am a college grad student. I love programming in java. I understand that C# has brighter days ahead. I am planning to broaden my appeal to my prospective recruiters by learning more languages but I don't know much about the .NET platform.

I coded a bit in C++, but I have a strong resistance towards it because I feel it is too cumbersome, whereas in Java, everything is so intuitive.

So do you think C# is similar to Java?

Answer 1

The language is VERY similar. The frameworks are VERY different. So depending on if you do web apps, client side apps, installed apps, or whatever, it might seem easy or alien.

Answer 2

Five years ago, I was exactly in the same situation as you. I went with the French translation of O'reilly C# language, Pocket Reference. With this book and my knowledge of OOP, I was up and running. It took more time to master the language, though

Here is the up-to-date version

Answer 3

I had no problems at all being productive quickly in C# coming from a Java background.

The problem is, without code review, the code you're going to start off writing in C# might not be the code you would have written with a year's experience, but it'll work, and the transition is pretty painless.

The IDE is also really, really nice, in my opinion.

Answer 4

As the languages are similar you'll probably find it easy to pick up the basics - but as you start getting more proficient in C# you'll start noticing the differences and idiosyncrasies.

If you are still coding in both you might find that this causes you to try to use the wrong construct in the wrong language, but with modern IDEs with intellisense this is less of an issue.

C# is an easy language to pick up, but it's quite hard to master - if only because there's so much to learn.

Answer 5

C# was originally created to be a competitor to Java iirc, and like Java it was designed to make for easier transitioning from c-style languages (C, C++, Java). So natuarally the syntax very similar. In recent years, C# and Java have seen additions in different directions, so they're slowly diverging from their common roots.

With that said, the frameworks are can be quite different, which is the most common learning hurdle with a new language/platform.