Stage 1 of 6 · 9 lessons · ~4 months

Your first language

Learn C# properly: types, control flow, methods, classes, List and Dictionary, and exceptions, using the .NET SDK from the terminal. The same skills carry into web APIs, desktop apps and Unity.

Start: The .NET SDK and dotnet CLI

Lessons· one lesson for each topic, in this order

Start with· follow one of these

GuideFree
Learn C#
Microsoft · Beginner
Official C# fundamentals tutorials that you run locally with the .NET SDK
PlatformFree
freeCodeCamp
freeCodeCamp · Beginner
Free Foundational C# certification, built with Microsoft, with a graded exam at the end

Practise

Exercism
Small exercises in your language track, with free feedback from a human mentor

Keep handy

W3Schools
Quick C# syntax lookups with a try-it editor; not a replacement for the course

Before moving on: Write a 200-line C# console app, such as a quiz or a budget tracker, with a few classes, a List, a Dictionary, file reading and exception handling, created and run with dotnet new and dotnet run.

Tauseef's advice

Create your projects with the dotnet CLI before leaning on Visual Studio, so you know what the IDE is doing for you. Skip Unity until the language feels natural, because game engine tutorials teach the engine and leave the language shaky.