C# 0 The Complete Reference

C#’s Family Tree

Computer languages do not exist in a void. Rather, they relate to one another, with each new 

language influenced in one form or another by the ones that came before. In a process akin to 

cross-pollination, features from one language are adapted by another, a new innovation is 

integrated into an existing context, or an older construct is removed. In this way, languages 

evolve and the art of programming advances. C# is no exception.

C# inherits a rich programming legacy. It is directly descended from two of the world’s 

most successful computer languages: C and C++. It is closely related to another: Java. 

Understanding the nature of these relationships is crucial to understanding C#. Thus, we 

begin our examination of C# by placing it in the historical context of these three languages.