Udemy
Turn what you know into an opportunity and reach millions around the world.
Learn More
Your cart is empty.
Keep shopping
.NET Programming for Beginners - Windows Forms with C#
Rating: 4.4 out of 5(53 ratings)
302 students

.NET Programming for Beginners - Windows Forms with C#

Build C# desktop apps with WinForms controls, events, BackgroundWorker, SQL Server access, and ClickOnce.
Last updated 10/2026
English
English [Auto],

What you'll learn

  • Create a Windows Forms application in Visual Studio using C#.
  • Use controls and events to build an interactive desktop interface.
  • Follow the development of a text editor through several implementation stages.
  • Use BackgroundWorker in the demonstrated multithreading examples.
  • Retrieve and update SQL Server data through a DataGridView control.
  • Follow ClickOnce deployment and a separate image-viewer application guide.

Course content

9 sections • 49 lectures • 5h 30m total length
  • Welcome to the Course! What Will You Learn?3:49

    This is the introduction to the course. We will talk about how this course is structured and what will you learn after completing this course.

  • What are Windows Forms in .NET?1:27

    This lecture, is an introduction to .NET Windows forms, what they are and what their main characteristics are.

  • .NET Windows Forms Architecture2:07

    In this lecture, we will talk about the .NET Windows Forms architecture.

  • Prerequisites for a Windows Forms .NET Project1:29

    In this lecture, we will talk about the prerequisites for developing and running a .NET Windows Forms project.

  • Meet Your Development Environment: Visual Studio4:23

    In this lecture, we will talk about the main development environment for .NET Windows Forms projects, that is Visual Studio.

  • This Course’s Sample .NET Windows Forms App6:06

    In this lecture and live demonstration, we will take a look at the tool to be developed throughout the course: a simple Text Editor, using .NET Windows Forms and C#.

  • Section Recap1:20

    This lecture, is a recap of what you have learned in this introductory section.

  • Introduction

Requirements

  • Basic understanding of programming principles is required; familiarity with C# is helpful.
  • To reproduce the demonstrations, use a Windows learning environment with compatible Visual Studio and .NET Framework tools.
  • A test SQL Server instance is needed for the database-access examples.

Description

Learn how to build Windows desktop applications with C# and Windows Forms while understanding how the different parts of an application work together.

This beginner-friendly course introduces you to Windows Forms development with C# through practical explanations and step-by-step application examples.

Throughout the course, you will work with a text-editor application that develops gradually as new concepts are introduced, helping you connect programming theory with the structure and behavior of a real desktop application.


Build Windows Desktop Applications with C#

Windows Forms provides a visual approach to developing desktop applications for Windows.

You will begin by exploring the structure of a Windows Forms application and the Visual Studio development environment.

From there, you will learn how forms, controls, properties, methods, and events work together to create an interactive user interface.

The course introduces concepts such as:

  • Windows Forms application architecture.

  • Creating and working with forms.

  • Using common Windows Forms controls.

  • Handling user events.

  • Connecting interface actions with C# code.

  • Building application functionality step by step.

  • Working with background processing.

  • Connecting applications to SQL Server.

  • Displaying and updating database data.

  • Deploying Windows desktop applications.


Learn Event-Driven Programming

Desktop applications respond continuously to user actions.

A user may click a button, select an option, enter text, open a file, or interact with another control.

You will learn how event-driven programming makes this possible and how event handlers connect user actions with your C# code.

The text-editor application provides a practical environment for understanding these concepts and seeing how individual events contribute to the overall behavior of an application.


Develop a Practical Text Editor Application

Rather than learning each Windows Forms concept in isolation, the course uses a text-editor application that evolves as you progress.

This helps you understand how:

  • Forms and controls work together.

  • Application functionality is organized.

  • Events control application behavior.

  • New features can be added incrementally.

  • User-interface elements interact with application logic.

You will see how a simple interface gradually becomes a more complete desktop application.


Explore Background Processing

The course also introduces multithreading concepts using BackgroundWorker.

You will see how a Windows Forms application can perform longer-running operations without treating every task as a simple synchronous user-interface action.

This gives you an introduction to the importance of responsiveness in desktop application development.


Connect Windows Forms to SQL Server

Many business applications need to work with data stored in a database.

A dedicated section introduces database connectivity between a Windows Forms application and Microsoft SQL Server.

You will follow examples that demonstrate how to:

  • Connect a Windows Forms application to SQL Server.

  • Retrieve database records.

  • Display data using DataGridView.

  • Work with database-backed application interfaces.

  • Update data from the application.

These lessons help you understand how desktop applications can move beyond standalone functionality and interact with persistent business data.


Explore Additional Application Concepts

The course also introduces additional development topics, including an image-viewer example and selected software-development practices.

You will also explore application deployment through ClickOnce, giving you an understanding of how a Windows desktop application can be prepared and distributed after development.


Who Is This Course For?

This course is suitable for:

  • Beginners who want to start developing Windows desktop applications.

  • C# learners who want to move from basic language concepts into application development.

  • Students learning .NET programming.

  • Developers new to Windows Forms.

  • IT professionals who want to understand desktop application development with C#.

  • Anyone interested in connecting a C# desktop application to SQL Server.


Basic programming knowledge is recommended.

Previous Windows Forms experience is not required, although familiarity with basic C# syntax will help you follow the examples more comfortably.


About the Development Environment

The main demonstrations were originally recorded using Visual Studio 2019, .NET Framework, and Windows 10.

The core Windows Forms concepts demonstrated in the course remain useful for understanding desktop application development, although newer Visual Studio versions may present some differences in project setup, tooling, and deployment screens.

When following the demonstrations yourself, use a development environment that is appropriate for the version of .NET and Windows Forms you intend to work with.


Build Your Windows Forms Foundation

By the end of the course, you will understand how a Windows Forms application is structured, how controls and events create interactive behavior, how C# code connects with the user interface, and how applications can communicate with SQL Server.

You will also have followed a desktop application through development, data access, background processing, and deployment.


If you already know some basic programming and want to take your first practical steps into Windows desktop development with C#, this course provides a structured place to start.

Who this course is for:

  • C# learners who are new to Windows Forms desktop development.
  • Developers who want guided examples of controls, events, and database access.
  • Learners who want to understand the steps from a desktop application to deployment.