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As you might guess, .NET 3.5 adds even more functionality to the C# programming language

(C# 2008, to be exact), including the following features:

• Support for strongly typed queries (a la LINQ, or Language Integrated Query) used to inter-

act with various forms of data

• Support for anonymous types, which allow you to model the “shape” of a type rather than its

behavior

• The ability to extend the functionality of an existing type using extension methods

• Inclusion of a lambda operator (=>), which even further simplifies working with .NET dele-

gate types

• A new object initialization syntax, which allows you to set property values at the time of

object creation 

Perhaps the most important point to understand about the C# language is that it can only pro-

duce code that can execute within the .NET runtime (you could never use C# to build a native COM

server or an unmanaged Win32 API application). Officially speaking, the term used to describe the

code targeting the .NET runtime is managed code. The binary unit that contains the managed code

is termed an 

assembly (more details on assemblies in just a bit in the section “An Overview of .NET

Assemblies”). Conversely, code that cannot be directly hosted by the .NET runtime is termed

unmanaged code.