C# was created at Microsoft under Anders Hejlsberg and first released in 2000 for the .NET platform.
The language was developed as part of Microsoft’s .NET initiative, which provided a common runtime and framework for building applications. C# combined C-style syntax with modern object-oriented features, type safety, garbage collection, and extensive library support.
C# was standardized through ECMA International in 2002 and later through ISO and IEC. Microsoft subsequently open-sourced major parts of the language compiler and platform. C# is used for desktop, web, cloud, game, and enterprise development; the Unity game engine helped make it especially visible to game developers.
C# is often confused with C or C++, but its runtime and language design are distinct. It is also different from F#, another Microsoft language designed for the .NET ecosystem.