Methods vs Functions

Question

Hello

I am not sure if you allow beginner questions here. If not I apologise and will leave :)

I am new to programming. Only started yesterday after tinkering with AutoIT a little. I was advised that C# had the best balance of functionality vs ease of learning compared with C++ and VB. While waiting for my text books to arrive I am doing a little background reading.

I am struggling to get my head around Methods. Are they the same as Functions in other languages? Can you create a Method, or are they 'built in' to C#?

Does anybody have any tips for me on learning C#?

Like I said, my apologies if my questions are too basic for the forum.

Thanks

M

Sam Hobbs · Answer

I don't know any difference between methods and functions. Some people will say that a method is something in a class and a function is not in a class but I see the word function used for methods in a class. In C++ a method in a class is usually called a function the same as if it would be called a function outside of a class. C++ programmers are in the habit of saying function. Developers using other object-oriented languages are in the habit of saying method. I very often see C# programmers say function eventhough (as Vulpes says) in C# a function must be in a class or struct. Have you looked at the language tutorials and other beginner articles in this web site? I hope they are enough to keep you busy until your text books arrive. If you have a computer at home with Visual Studio installed then you have a million times more than what I had when I began programming. For me when I began learning the only computer was miles away and I had to program it using 80-column IBM / Hollerith cards and a keypunch machine and a card reader attached to the computer. When I began working as a programmer there were times when I was lucky to get more than two runs a day where each run was a compile and/or test.

Vulpes · Answer

Well C# is a pure object oriented language which means that there are no such things as global functions as you have in some other languages. All functions have to be members of either a class or struct and they are then called 'methods'. You can create your own classes and structs and these can contain as many methods as you like. There's also a library called the .NET Framework which has lots of pre-built classes and structs whose methods you can call in your own programs.

Mahesh Chand · Answer

Yes Lee. Methods are same as some languages called Functions. Vulpes has given you a good answer!

Jonathas Sucupira · Answer

if you read my preview explanation I apologize it was kinda complicated. Here is a simple explanation. Functions is stand alone and methods are members of a class.

Lee · Answer

Hello I just wanted to say thank you for all your replies. It's certainly clearer now than when I read this tutorial lol. Thanks again no doubt I will be back once I've got my head around when to use a double and when to use a float lol...