VB.NET and C# Comparison
This is a quick reference guide to highlight some key syntactical
differences between VB.NET (version 2) and C#. Hope you find this useful!
Thank you to Tom Shelton, Fergus Cooney, Steven Swafford and others for your
contributions.
Also see Java and C# Comparison.
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Imports System
Namespace Hello Class HelloWorld Overloads Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String) Dim name As String = "VB.NET" 'See if an argument was passed from the command line If args.Length = 1 Then name = args(0) Console.WriteLine("Hello, " & name & "!") End Sub End Class End Namespace |
using System;
namespace Hello { public class HelloWorld { public static void Main(string[] args) { string name = "C#"; // See if an argument was passed from the command line if (args.Length == 1) name = args[0]; Console.WriteLine("Hello, " + name + "!"); } } } |
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' Single line only Rem Single line only |
// Single line |
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Value Types Reference Types Dim x As Integer
' Type conversion |
Value Types Reference Types int x;
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Const MAX_STUDENTS As Integer
= 25
' Can set to a const or var; may be initialized in a
constructor |
const int MAX_STUDENTS = 25;
// Can set to a const or var; may be initialized in a
constructor
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Enum Action
Start [Stop] ' Stop is a reserved word Rewind Forward End Enum Enum Status Flunk = 50 Pass = 70 Excel = 90 End Enum Dim a As Action = Action.Stop If a <> Action.Start Then _ Console.WriteLine(a.ToString & " is " & a) ' Prints "Stop is 1" Console.WriteLine(Status.Pass) ' Prints 70 Console.WriteLine(Status.Pass.ToString()) ' Prints Pass |
enum Action {Start, Stop, Rewind, Forward}; enum Status {Flunk = 50, Pass = 70, Excel = 90}; Action a = Action.Stop; if (a != Action.Start) Console.WriteLine(a + " is " + (int) a); // Prints "Stop is 1" Console.WriteLine((int) Status.Pass); // Prints 70 Console.WriteLine(Status.Pass); // Prints Pass |
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Comparison Arithmetic Assignment Bitwise Logical Note: AndAlso and OrElse perform short-circuit logical evaluations String Concatenation |
Comparison Arithmetic Assignment Bitwise Logical Note: && and || perform short-circuit logical evaluations String Concatenation |
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greeting = IIf(age < 20, "What's up?", "Hello") ' One line doesn't require "End If" ' Use : to put two commands on same line ' Preferred ' To break up any long single line use _ 'If x > 5 Then
Select Case color ' Must be a
primitive data type |
greeting = age < 20 ? "What's up?" : "Hello";
if (age < 20)
// Multiple statements must be enclosed in {} No need for _ or : since ; is used to terminate each statement.
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' Array or collection looping
' Breaking out of loops
' Continue to next iteration |
Pre-test Loops:
// no "until" keyword
// Breaking out of loops
// Continue to next iteration |
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Dim nums() As Integer = {1, 2, 3}
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int[] nums = {1, 2, 3}; float[,] twoD = new float[rows, cols]; int[][] jagged = new int[3][] {
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' Pass by value (in, default), reference (in/out),
and reference (out)
Dim a = 1, b = 1, c As Integer ' c set to
zero by default
' Accept variable number of arguments
' Optional parameters must be listed last and must
have a default value
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// Pass by value (in, default),
reference (in/out), and reference (out) void TestFunc(int x, ref int y, out int z) { x++; y++; z = 5; } int a = 1, b = 1, c; // c doesn't need initializing // Accept variable number of arguments int total = Sum(4, 3, 2, 1); // returns 10 /* C# doesn't support optional
arguments/parameters. Just create two different versions of the same
function. */
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Special character constants
' String concatenation (use & or +)
' Chars ' No string literal operator
' String comparison Console.WriteLine(mascot.Substring(2, 3)) ' Prints "son"
' String matching ' My birthday: Oct 12, 1973 ' Mutable string
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Escape sequences // String concatenation // Chars // String literal
// String comparison Console.WriteLine(mascot.Substring(2, 3)); // Prints "son"
// String matching // My birthday: Oct 12, 1973 // Mutable string
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' Throw an exception ' Catch an exception ' Deprecated unstructured error handling |
// Throw an exception // Catch an exception |
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Namespace Harding.Compsci.Graphics ' or Namespace Harding
Imports Harding.Compsci.Graphics |
namespace Harding.Compsci.Graphics { // or namespace Harding { using Harding.Compsci.Graphics; |
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Accessibility keywords
' Inheritance ' Interface definition // Extending an interface // Interface implementation |
Accessibility keywords
// Inheritance
// Extending an interface
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Class SuperHero Private _powerLevel As Integer Public Sub New() _powerLevel = 0 End Sub Public Sub New(ByVal powerLevel As Integer) Me._powerLevel = powerLevel End Sub Protected Overrides Sub Finalize() ' Desctructor code to free unmanaged resources MyBase.Finalize() End Sub End Class |
class SuperHero { |
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Dim hero As SuperHero = New SuperHero
With hero
hero.Defend("Laura Jones")
Dim hero2 As SuperHero = hero ' Both reference the same
object
hero = Nothing ' Free the object If hero Is Nothing Then _
Dim obj As Object = New SuperHero
' Mark object for quick disposal |
SuperHero hero = new SuperHero();
// No "With" construct hero.Defend("Laura Jones");
hero = null ; // Free the object if (hero == null) Object obj = new SuperHero(); using (StreamReader reader = File.OpenText("test.txt")) { string line; while ((line = reader.ReadLine()) != null) Console.WriteLine(line); } |
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Structure StudentRecord
Dim stu As StudentRecord = New StudentRecord("Bob", 3.5)
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struct StudentRecord { public string name; public float gpa; public StudentRecord(string name, float gpa) { this.name = name; this.gpa = gpa; } } StudentRecord stu = new StudentRecord("Bob", 3.5f); |
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Private _size As Integer foo.Size += 1 |
private int _size; public int Size { get { return _size; } set { if (value < 0) _size = 0; else _size = value; } }
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Delegate Sub MsgArrivedEventHandler(ByVal message As String) Event MsgArrivedEvent As MsgArrivedEventHandler ' or to define an event which declares a delegate implicitly AddHandler MsgArrivedEvent, AddressOf My_MsgArrivedCallback
Imports System.Windows.Forms Dim WithEvents MyButton As Button
' WithEvents can't be used on local variable Private Sub MyButton_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _ |
delegate void MsgArrivedEventHandler(string message); event MsgArrivedEventHandler MsgArrivedEvent; // Delegates must be used with events in C#
Button MyButton = new Button(); private void MyButton_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e) {
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Console.Write("What's your name? ")
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Console.Write("What's your name? ");
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Imports System.IO ' Write out to text file ' Read all lines from text file ' Write out to binary file ' Read from binary file |
using System.IO; // Write out to text file // Read all lines from text file // Write out to binary file // Read from binary file |