Understanding C# Strings: A Comprehensive Guide

Summary of C# Strings

Introduction to Strings

  • Definition: Strings are sequences of characters used to represent text in C#.
  • Data Type: In C#, a string is an object of the System.String class.

Creating Strings

  • Strings can be created using:
    • Double quotes: string greeting = "Hello, World!";
    • String interpolation: string name = "Alice"; string message = $"Hello, {name}!";

Key Concepts

  • Immutable: Strings in C# are immutable, meaning once created, their value cannot be changed.
  • Concatenation: You can combine strings using the + operator or String.Concat method.
    • Example: string fullName = firstName + " " + lastName;

String Methods

  • C# provides various built-in methods for string manipulation:
    • Length: int length = myString.Length;
    • Substring: Extracts a part of the string. Example: string sub = myString.Substring(0, 5);
    • ToUpper() / ToLower(): Converts the string to upper or lower case.
      • Example: string upper = myString.ToUpper();
    • IndexOf(): Finds the position of a character or substring.
      • Example: int index = myString.IndexOf("World");
    • Replace(): Replaces occurrences of a specified string.
      • Example: string newStr = myString.Replace("World", "C#");

String Formatting

  • Strings can be formatted using:
    • String Format: string formatted = String.Format("Hello, {0} !", name);
    • Interpolation: As shown in the creation example above.

Escape Sequences

  • Special characters in strings can be represented using escape sequences, such as:
    • \n for new line
    • \t for tab
    • \\ for backslash

Conclusion

  • Strings are a fundamental part of C# programming, and understanding how to manipulate them is crucial for effective coding.

Example Code

string firstName = "John";
string lastName = "Doe";
string fullName = firstName + " " + lastName;
Console.WriteLine(fullName); // Output: John Doe

This summary provides a fundamental overview of strings in C#, designed for beginners to grasp the essential concepts and usage.