Welcome to the HackYourFuture .NET Master Class — a 10-week intensive journey into full-stack development with C# and the .NET ecosystem. This module is designed for students who already have a foundation in programming (especially JavaScript and React) and want to take their skills to the next level by mastering a strongly typed, object-oriented language, server-side architecture, and modern frontend/backend integration techniques.

Over the course of this master class, you will:

• Learn the core features of the C# programming language.
• Build a game step-by-step, starting from a console application and evolving into a full-stack web app.
• Explore the .NET ecosystem, including MVC, Web API, Entity Framework Core, Blazor, and SignalR.
• Apply software engineering practices like clean architecture, error handling, input validation, and separation of concerns.
• Develop a working multiplayer game with real-time communication and persistent storage.

By the end of the module, you'll be equipped with the skills needed to:

• Build and structure modern C# applications.
• Understand and apply object-oriented design principles.
• Create web APIs and connect them to rich frontend clients.
• Use relational databases with SQL Server and Entity Framework Core.
• Handle real-time communication using SignalR and Blazor.

To make the most of this course, students should:

• ✅ Be comfortable with basic programming concepts (variables, loops, conditionals, functions).
• ✅ Have experience writing JavaScript (React knowledge is a plus).
• ✅ Understand how HTTP works and what a REST API is at a high level.
• ✅ Be familiar with version control using Git and GitHub.
• ✅ Have a working development environment (VS Code, Node, browser dev tools).

No previous experience with C# or .NET is required — we will cover it from the ground up.

Before the first session, please:

1. 🛠 Install the necessary tools (see below).
2. ✏️ Make sure you can open and run a basic console app in Rider.

We’ll help during the first session if you run into any issues, but the smoother your setup, the more time we can spend learning!

IDE: Rider, Rider is a cross-platform .NET IDE that is used by many .NET developers. It is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. You can download it from the JetBrains website, it is free for non-commercial use.

RDBMS: Microsoft SQL Server, SQL Server is one of the most used relational database management system in the realm of .NET development. If you are a Windows user, you can download the Developer edition of SQL Server from the Microsoft website (or using this direct link). If you are a Mac or Linux user, you can use the Docker image of SQL Server. You can find the instructions on how to run the Docker image of SQL Server on the Microsoft website.

(Preparation, Lesson plan, Homework)

• Introduction to C# and .NET
• Writing a simple console application
• Data Types & Variables (strings, integers, booleans, etc.)
• String manipulation (concatenation, string.Format(), interpolation)
• Arrays (single and multidimensional)
• Loops (for, while, foreach)
• Handling user input and output
• Basic error handling** (try-catch)
• Understanding stack vs. heap memory

(Preparation, Lesson plan, Homework)

• Object-oriented programming in C#
• Encapsulation using access modifiers and properties
• Structuring the game with Board, Player, and GameController classes
• Game state management using enums
• Defensive programming and input validation
• Game loop for multiple rounds

(Preparation, Lesson plan, Homework)

• Collections in C#: Using lists, arrays for board representation
• Introduction to LINQ:
  • Checking win conditions efficiently
• Singleton Pattern:
  • Classic vs. modern ASP.NET Core DI approach
• Extracting Logic into a Class Library:
  • Moving GameController into a separate project
• ⚠️ Logging Errors: Using try-catch blocks and logs

(Preparation, Lesson plan, Homework)

• MVC Basics: Controllers, Models, Views
• Building the Game in MVC:
  • Displaying the board in a Razor View
  • Handling user moves via forms
• ⚠️ Handling API Errors:
  • Validating requests in controllers
  • Returning meaningful error messages

(Preparation, Lesson plan, Homework)

• Intro to Web APIs:
  • REST principles
• Exposing Game Logic via API:
  • POST /api/game/move
  • GET /api/game/state
• Consuming API from MVC:
  • Using JavaScript/Fetch
• ⚠️ API Error Handling:
  • Custom error responses
  • HTTP status codes (400, 500)

(Preparation, Lesson plan, Homework)

• Using ADO.NET vs. EF Core:
  • Basic SQL queries
  • Migrating to EF Core
• Storing Game History:
  • Saving moves & results
• Querying Past Games: Fetching previous results
• ⚠️ Database Exception Handling:
  • Catching SqlException errors
  • Handling connection issues

(Preparation, Lesson plan, Homework)

• Why Blazor?:
  • Comparing to MVC
• Building a Blazor UI:
  • Interactive board rendering
  • Fetching data from the API
• ⚠️ UI Error Handling:
  • Handling API failures
  • Preventing invalid user actions

(Preparation, Lesson plan, Homework)

• Introduction to SignalR:
  • Real-time game updates
• Building Online Multiplayer:
  • Updating board live
  • Handling real-time player moves
• ⚠️ SignalR Error Handling:
  • Handling disconnects
  • Preventing message loss

(Preparation, Lesson plan, Homework)

• Optimizing Queries:
  • Using LINQ efficiently
  • Preventing redundant API calls
• Refactoring Code:
  • Cleaning up the GameService
• ⚠️ Debugging Best Practices:
  • Using Rider debugging tools

(Preparation, Lesson plan, Homework)

• Extending the Game:
  • Adding a scoring system
  • Supporting AI opponents
• Review & Q&A:
  • Summary of key concepts
  • Suggestions for further learning