Syntax Junkies
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Getting Started

Before you write your first line of code, you need three things installed: .NET, a code editor, and the C# language extension. This page walks you through all three, then explains how the course works.

Install .NET 10

Download and install .NET 10 from the official Microsoft website:

https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/10.0

Choose the SDK (not the Runtime) for your operating system. The SDK includes everything you need to write, compile, and run C# programs.

Once installed, open a terminal and verify:

dotnet --version

You should see a version number starting with 10.. If you do, you are ready.

Install Visual Studio Code

VS Code is a free, lightweight editor that works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Download it from:

https://code.visualstudio.com/download

Install it and open it once to confirm it launches correctly.

Install the C# Extension

Inside VS Code, open the Extensions panel (the puzzle piece icon in the left sidebar, or press Ctrl+Shift+X). Search for C# Dev Kit and install it. This is the official Microsoft extension — it provides syntax highlighting, IntelliSense, error underlining, and the ability to run and debug C# programs from inside the editor.

When prompted to install related extensions, accept them.

Using the Terminal

Every dotnet command runs in a terminal. Here is how to open one on each platform and the commands you will use most.

Windows — PowerShell

Open PowerShell from the Start menu, or press Win+X and choose Terminal or Windows PowerShell.

# Navigate to a folder
cd C:\Users\YourName\exercises\part01\exercise-01-01

# Go up one folder
cd ..

# List files in the current folder
dir

# Run a C# program
dotnet run

macOS — Terminal

Open Terminal from Applications → Utilities → Terminal, or press Cmd+Space and type terminal.

# Navigate to a folder
cd ~/exercises/part01/exercise-01-01

# Go up one folder
cd ..

# List files in the current folder
ls

# Run a C# program
dotnet run

Linux — Bash

Open your distribution's terminal emulator. The commands are the same as macOS.

cd ~/exercises/part01/exercise-01-01
dotnet run

The Commands You Will Use

Command What it does
dotnet run Compile and run the program in the current folder
dotnet build Compile without running — useful for checking for errors
cd foldername Move into a folder
cd .. Move up one folder

Get the Course Exercises

The exercises are in the Syntax Junkies course repository on GitHub. Clone or download the repository to your machine, then open the root folder in VS Code.

Inside the exercises/ folder, each exercise has its own sub-folder named exercise-XX-YY, where XX is the part number and YY is the exercise number.

Running an Exercise

Open a terminal in VS Code (Terminal → New Terminal). Navigate to an exercise folder and run the program:

cd exercises/part01/exercise-01-01
dotnet run

You will see the program's output in the terminal. Edit Program.cs, save, and run again to see your changes.

How Exercises Work on Syntax Junkies

  1. Read the lesson in your browser — each section explains the concept, shows examples, and ends with one or more exercises.
  2. Write your solution locally in VS Code. Open the exercise folder, edit Program.cs, and run with dotnet run until it produces the right output.
  3. Upload your file — drag and drop your solution file onto the exercise's upload box on the Syntax Junkies website.
  4. Click Submit — the AI grader evaluates your code and returns a score and written feedback inline on the page.
  5. Read the feedback — see what went well and what to improve. Revise and resubmit as many times as you like.

What Files to Upload

Single-file exercises (most exercises): upload Program.cs only.

Multi-file exercises (a few exercises in later parts): upload all .cs files in the exercise folder. Never upload bin/, obj/, or .csproj files — only .cs source files.

If you are unsure, the exercise page will tell you.

What the Grade Feedback Means

Your submission is scored across four categories, each out of 25 points:

Category What it measures
Correctness Does the program produce the right output for the given requirements?
Code Quality Is the code readable, well-named, and well-structured?
Idiomatic Style Does the code use modern C# conventions — string interpolation, pattern matching, top-level statements?
Concept Appropriateness Did you use the concepts introduced so far, not workarounds from outside the course?

Total: 100 points. Pass threshold: 70.

A score below 70 is not a failure — it is feedback. The grader tells you exactly what went well, what to improve, and what to focus on next. You can revise and resubmit.

How the Dashboard Tracks Your Progress

Your dashboard updates after every submission. It shows:

  • Your score and written feedback for each exercise
  • Per-part completion — how many exercises you have submitted and passed in each part
  • Overall progress across all tiers and parts
  • Weakness patterns — if the grader notices the same issue across multiple submissions (for example, using string.Format when string interpolation was expected), it surfaces this as a specific recommendation so you know what to work on
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