"Systems Programming with C# and .NET" is a practical guide to building system software based on C# 12 and .NET 8: UI-less services, background workers, daemons, data exchange tools, and secure interprocess communication interfaces. The author demonstrates how to work with the file system and streams, serialize data (JSON and binary formats), configure interprocess communication (named pipes, sockets, shared memory, RPC/gRPC), debug and profile, implement monitoring (Prometheus, Seq, performance counters), and address security concerns - from string handling and privileges to keys and certificates.
The approach is systematic: “from defining what system software on .NET is, to deployment in Linux and Docker.” In practice, this saves team time and reduces operational risks.
Who Is This Manual Recommended For?
This edition is targeted at .NET developers who build the "invisible" parts of systems: services, agents, integration bridges, communication protocols, and secure channels. The text is precisely focused on those who already code in C# and want to dive deeper into the platform’s core: threads, IPC, file formats, security, deployment, and observability. The material is suitable for mid- and senior-level developers, team leads, platform engineers, and DevOps/SRE professionals with a .NET background.
The manual explicitly emphasizes the place of system software in modern architecture, where UI is just the tip of the iceberg, while the main logic operates “behind the scenes,” requiring speed, reliability, and execution control.
What Knowledge Will You Gain?
After reading, you will systematically cover topics essential for operational software: efficient I/O patterns, serialization, interprocess communication, threads and synchronization, secret protection and transport security, monitoring, and profiling. Concepts are explained from scratch but without oversimplification; the author provides code and comparisons of approaches. In practice, this knowledge applies to real-world tasks in integration, telemetry, and secure operations. The edition covers:
- File System and Streams - choosing Stream types, buffering, compression (GZip/Deflate/Brotli), binary vs JSON formats, their size and speed; with clear serialization examples.
- IPC - Windows Messages, anonymous/named pipes, sockets, shared memory, RPC/gRPC; selection criteria and technical requirements.
- Parallelism and async/await - thread mechanics in .NET/Windows, synchronization, and correct behavior under load.
- Security - secret storage (Azure Key Vault), working with environment variables, privileges, HTTPS/certificates.
- Observability - Seq, performance counters, Prometheus; what to monitor to ensure system health.
How and Where Can This Guide Be Applied?
The content is geared toward “battle-ready” development: backend services without UI, integration services, Windows services, and Linux daemons. After reading, you follow a checklist and cover operational requirements. You will be able to:
- Configure resilient data exchange between processes via named pipes/sockets/gRPC for consumer services and CLI utilities.
- Implement compact binary formats where speed and size matter, while retaining JSON where readability is needed.
- Build a secure perimeter: keys in Key Vault, strict privileges, proper certificates, and HTTPS channels.
- Enable telemetry: metrics in Prometheus, logs in Seq, counters for diagnosing degradations.
- Deploy background workers on Linux, containerize in Docker, and integrate CI/CD.
More About the Author of the Book
The Developer's Opinion About the Book
In practice, I appreciated how the author clearly breaks down data format selection, shows IPC without "magic," and ties security to concrete steps: Key Vault, privileges, HTTPS, certificates. The code reads easily, examples are reproducible - chapter repositories save hours. Another strong point is observability: Prometheus, Seq, counters - eliminating the “blindness” of operational incidents.
On the downside, I note the stylistic choice of “narrative” headings - not an issue, but I personally prefer strictly technical section titles. The Azure focus is also evident; if your landscape is AWS/GCP, you’ll need to map equivalents, but the methodology transfers seamlessly. Otherwise, the structure aligns with modern .NET ecosystem standards, and the depth is sufficient for immediate application.
I recommend this guide to those building services and integration components where reliability and security matter more than UI. Tested in practice, used by professionals, and suitable for real-world tasks.
Michael Reynolds, .NET Developer / C# Engineer
FAQ for "Systems Programming with C# and .NET"
1. How does the guide explain interprocess communication on .NET and when to choose named pipes, sockets, or gRPC for a system service?
The author thoroughly introduces IPC: providing definitions, discussing design considerations, and showcasing core mechanisms - Windows Messages, named/anonymous pipes, sockets, shared memory, RPC, and gRPC. Technical requirements are given along with a code repository for the chapter.
2. What does the chapter on file systems and serialization offer: when to choose JSON vs binary, and how does it impact performance?
In the I/O section, the author illustrates that JSON is simpler and human-readable but creates larger files/streams; binary serialization yields smaller size and faster transfer/storage at the expense of readability and requiring extra code/packages. The choice is contextual: JSON for diagnostics and compatibility; binary for critical latency and throughput. Practical serialization methods and measured size comparisons (JSON vs binary) are presented, showing a significant difference on a simple case. This analysis helps teams set project-wide format standards.
3. How is system security structured: secret storage, privileges, HTTPS, and certificates?
The "Security Safeguards" chapter systematically addresses concerns: secure string/secret handling, storing keys in Azure Key Vault (with SecretClient and DefaultAzureCredential examples), nuances of environment variables (noting convenience vs insecurity for sensitive data), privilege level selection, data transmission over networks, HTTPS and certificate trust chains, and dev-certificate creation. References to Microsoft official documentation are provided. The outcome is a system-level checklist adaptable to corporate standards. In practice, this reduces operational risks and simplifies audits.
4. Which observability tools are recommended, and what should be monitored in .NET system software?
Seq for logs, performance counters, and Prometheus for metrics are considered. An example is given of metric exposure and inspection at http://localhost:9090, including predefined names and job-based queries (resulting in >30 metrics for an app). A review of popular platforms (Application Insights, Datadog, Dynatrace, etc.) is also included, with a list of key indicators: CPU, memory (including leaks and GC impact), disk I/O, and more. Such a set allows for quick localization of degradations and structured SLOs.
5. Does the manual support cross-platform operations and deployment scenarios (Linux, Docker, CI/CD)?
Yes. Separate chapters cover moving from development to production, publishing via Visual Studio and CLI, integration with Azure DevOps and GitHub, containerization, and deploying Docker images. Additionally, there is a full "Linux chapter": overview, .NET installation, running background workers, systemd services, privilege handling, signals, and practical cross-platform coding advice. This breadth enables teams to standardize pipelines and simplify maintenance. In practice, it lowers “time-to-prod” and improves release repeatability.
Information
| Author: | Vroegop Dennis | Language: | English |
| Publisher: | Packt Publishing | ISBN-13: | 978-1835082683 |
| Publication Date: | October 31, 2024 | ISBN-10: | 1835082688 |
| Print Length: | 474 pages | Category: | C# Books |
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