C# glossary: Apprentice level
60 C# terms at the Apprentice level, each with a short definition and a link to its full page.
Updated
- ADO.NET
- ADO.NET is the underlying data access framework for C#.
- Array
- A fixed-size, indexed collection whose elements all have the same type.
- Array Index
- A zero-based number that identifies an element's position in an array.
- Array Initializer
- A brace-enclosed list of values used to fill an array when it is created.
- Array Length
- The fixed number of elements an array can hold.
- break
- A statement that immediately exits the nearest loop or switch.
- C# Naming Conventions
- Common capitalization patterns that make C# names consistent and recognizable.
- camelCase
- A naming style that starts lowercase and capitalizes each later word.
- Console.ReadLine()
- A method that reads one line of text from standard input.
- const
- A modifier for a compile-time constant whose value is fixed in its declaration.
- Constant
- A named value intended not to change after initialization.
- continue
- A statement that skips the rest of the current loop repetition.
- Division
- 2 - Integer division discards the remainder.
- do-while Loop
- A loop that runs its body once before checking whether to repeat.
- else if Statement
- An additional condition tested when earlier if conditions were false.
- enum
- A type that defines a fixed set of named constants.
- Enumeration Member
- One of the named values declared inside an enum.
- Escape Sequence
- A backslash code that represents a special character inside a string or character literal.
- Field
- A variable declared in a class and stored with an object or the class itself.
- for Loop
- A loop that keeps its setup, condition, and update together.
- foreach Loop
- A loop that visits each item in a collection or sequence.
- Fully Qualified Name
- A type's complete name including its package.
- Implicitly Typed Variable
- A local variable declared with var whose type is determined at compile time.
- Infinite Loop
- A loop whose stopping condition never becomes false.
- Jagged Array
- An array whose elements are arrays that may have different lengths.
- Local Variable
- A variable declared inside a method or block and usable only there.
- Loop Counter
- A numeric variable used to track loop repetitions or positions.
- Math Class
- A standard class containing constants and static mathematical methods.
- Method Argument
- A value supplied to a parameter when a method is called.
- Method Overloading
- Defining methods with the same name but different parameter lists.
- Method Parameter
- A named input declared by a method.
- Multidimensional Array
- An array whose elements are themselves arrays.
- Named Argument
- An argument supplied with its parameter name for clarity or reordered calls.
- Namespace
- A named container that organizes related types and prevents naming conflicts.
- Nested Loop
- A loop placed inside another loop.
- Null Value
- A value showing that a reference or nullable value type currently refers to no value.
- Optional Parameter
- A parameter with a default value that callers may omit.
- params Parameter
- A final array parameter that accepts a variable number of arguments.
- PascalCase
- A naming style that capitalizes the first letter of every word.
- Random Class
- A class that produces pseudorandom values of several numeric types.
- Random Number
- A value selected by a generator so its next result is difficult to predict casually.
- Range Operator
- The .. operator used to select a continuous portion of an indexable value.
- Raw String Literal
- A multiline string enclosed by at least three double quotes with minimal escaping.
- readonly
- A field modifier allowing assignment only in the declaration or a constructor.
- Recursion
- A technique in which a method calls itself with a smaller version of the problem.
- Return Type
- The type of value a method promises to return.
- Return Value
- The result a method sends back to its caller.
- Scope
- The part of a program where a name can be used.
- Static Field
- A field stored once for the type rather than separately in each object.
- String Immutability
- The rule that a String's character sequence cannot change after the object is created.
- String Index
- A zero-based position used to locate a character in a String.
- String Interpolation
- Building a string by placing expressions inside braces in a string beginning with $.
- String Length
- The number of UTF-16 code units in a String.
- StringBuilder
- A class for efficiently building or changing a sequence of characters.
- Ternary Operator
- A single line if/else statement.
- using Directive
- A declaration that lets code use a namespace's types without their full names.
- var
- A keyword asking the compiler to infer a local variable's type from its value.
- Verbatim String
- A string beginning with @ where backslashes are treated as ordinary characters.
- void
- A return type showing that a method returns no value.
- while Loop
- A loop that repeats while its condition remains true.