Windows Forms Best Practices from Pluralsight

This course demonstrates several best practices for Windows Forms application development by gradually improving a demo application. Topics covered include resizing, layout, accessibility, maintainable code, localization, usability, testability, threading, exception handling, custom control creation, and interoperability.

This course demonstrates several best practices for Windows Forms development by taking a demo application and gradually improving it to improve the user experience and code quality. We'll see how you can improve the layout and resizing of your application, and how you can make it more accessible, usable, and navigable from the keyboard. We'll explore how to approach localization, exception handling, and threading. We'll also devote time to various patterns that will help you write more maintainable and testable code. Finally, we'll provide guidelines for creating your own custom controls, and see how you can interoperate other technologies such as hosting web and WPF content within a Windows Forms application.

What's inside

Syllabus

Creating Excellent Windows Forms Applications

Resizing and Layout

Usability, Accessibility, and Localization

Exceptions and Threading

Patterns for Maintainable Code

Creating Custom Controls

Interoperability

Conclusion

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Teaches principles that are fundamental in software development

Builds a solide foundation for creating and developing effective Windows Forms applications

Taught by Mark Heath, a recognized instructor in the Windows Forms development community

Develops professional skills and deep expertise for creating Windows Forms applications

Covers the latest best practices and techniques in designing and developing Windows Forms applications

Provides hands-on labs and interactive materials for better understanding and practice

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Windows Forms Best Practices with these activities:

Review C#

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Review core C# concepts to better prepare for new information presented in this course.

Browse courses on C#

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Complete a C# tutorial or refresher course
Create a small C# program or project to practice

Write C# code for common scenarios

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Practice writing code to cement your understanding of C# syntax and best practices.

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Find online coding challenges or exercises
Work through the challenges and write code to solve them

Read "Head First Design Patterns"

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Gain a deeper understanding of design patterns to enhance your ability to create maintainable and reusable code.

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Read and understand the book's explanations of design patterns
Identify design patterns in existing code or projects
Apply design patterns in your own code

Three other activities

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Create a blog post on a C# topic

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Share your knowledge and understanding of C# by creating a blog post that explains a concept or technique.

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Choose a topic that you're knowledgeable and passionate about
Research and gather information to support your topic
Write a clear and engaging blog post that explains your topic in a logical and easy-to-understand way
Publish and share your blog post on relevant platforms or forums

Participate in a C# coding competition

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Challenge yourself and test your skills by participating in a C# coding competition.

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Find a suitable C# coding competition to participate in
Study and practice to prepare for the competition
Participate in the competition and strive for your best performance
Reflect on your performance and identify areas for improvement

Mentor a junior C# developer

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Reinforce your understanding and contribute to the community by mentoring a junior C# developer.

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Find a junior C# developer who is looking for mentorship
Provide guidance and support on C# concepts and best practices
Review code and provide feedback
Encourage the mentee to ask questions and seek help when needed

Career center

Learners who complete Windows Forms Best Practices will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Applications Architect

Applications Architects design and build the overall architecture of software applications. Windows Forms Best Practices can be very useful in learning the principles and patterns to create highly maintainable and navigable applications.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers apply engineering principles to the design, development, deployment, and maintenance of software systems. Concepts taught in Windows Forms Best Practices can inform the development of maintainable, testable Windows Forms applications.

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User Experience Designer

User Experience Designers create optimal user experiences for websites, software, and other digital products. The course Windows Forms Best Practices may be helpful in learning how to design accessible and usable Windows Forms applications.

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Software Developer

Software Developers design, develop, test, deploy, maintain, and evolve software systems. The course Windows Forms Best Practices may be useful for learning how to create custom controls within Windows Forms applications.

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Web Developer

Web Developers develop, maintain, and improve websites. The course Windows Forms Best Practices may be useful in gaining the skills needed to host web content within Windows Forms applications.

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Quality Assurance Analyst

Quality Assurance Analysts test software to ensure its quality meets user expectations. This course may be useful for learning about testing strategies for Windows Forms applications.

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Technical Writer

Technical Writers create documentation for software, hardware, and other technical products. The course Windows Forms Best Practices is not particularly relevant to this role.

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Systems Administrator

Systems Administrators install, maintain, and troubleshoot computer systems. The course Windows Forms Best Practices is not particularly relevant to this role.

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Computer Support Specialist

Computer Support Specialists provide technical support to computer users. The course Windows Forms Best Practices is not particularly relevant to this role.

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Information Security Analyst

Information Security Analysts protect computer systems and networks from unauthorized access. The course Windows Forms Best Practices is not particularly relevant to this role.

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Business Analyst

Business Analysts analyze business processes and develop solutions to improve efficiency. The course Windows Forms Best Practices is not particularly relevant to this role.

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Database Administrator

Database Administrators design, implement, maintain, and troubleshoot database systems. The course Windows Forms Best Practices is not particularly relevant to this role.

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IT Project Manager

IT Project Managers plan, execute, and close IT projects. The course Windows Forms Best Practices is not particularly relevant to this role.

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Network Administrator

Network Administrators install, maintain, and troubleshoot computer networks. The course Windows Forms Best Practices is not particularly relevant to this role.

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Data Scientist

Data Scientists use data to solve business problems. The course Windows Forms Best Practices is not particularly relevant to this role.

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