Basic Visual Studio 2026
Basic Visual Studio 2026 is a course in developing .NET 10 software with Visual Studio 2026 in a structured way, from exploring the IDE and creating console and WPF projects to coding with IntelliSense, refactoring and GitHub Copilot, debugging, unit testing, Git and publishing apps. It suits programming beginners, students, lecturers and junior developers.
- Duration18 hours · 3 days
- FormatOnsite / live online
- Next roundOn request
- CertificateIncluded
Course overview
Visual Studio is the main tool for .NET developers across desktop, web, API and cloud work, yet many users only touch a small part of it, typing code and pressing Run. Visual Studio 2026 includes built-in tools for writing code, refactoring, debugging, testing, Git and an AI assistant, while many tools from the Visual Studio 2010 era, such as Silverlight, the old Team Foundation Server source control and macros, have been retired.
This course takes learners through Visual Studio 2026 with .NET 10 and C# in a structured way. It starts with installing the IDE and choosing workloads, exploring the IDE, and creating console, class library and WPF desktop projects. Learners then practise with the code editor, IntelliSense, refactoring and GitHub Copilot, work with databases, debug with breakpoints and Hot Reload, write unit tests, use Git and GitHub inside the IDE, configure builds and publish applications both as files and as containers. It closes with a workshop that builds an application from start to delivery. (3 days, 6 hours per day, 18 hours in total, Beginner level.)
What you’ll gain
- Install Visual Studio 2026, choose workloads and configure the IDE for the job
- Create and manage solutions and .NET 10 projects of different types
- Use the code editor, IntelliSense, snippets and refactoring to write code faster and more tidily
- Use GitHub Copilot to help write and explain code, and review its output properly
- Debug programs with breakpoints, Watch, the call stack and Hot Reload
- Write unit tests and view code coverage in Test Explorer
- Use Git and GitHub inside Visual Studio for commits, branches and pull requests
- Build, configure and publish applications for delivery
Who this course is for
- Anyone starting to develop software with Visual Studio and .NET
- School and university students and lecturers who use Visual Studio for teaching or projects
- Junior programmers who want to get full value from the IDE
- IT staff who build or maintain in-house software
- Anyone who used an older Visual Studio and wants to update to the current release
Prerequisites
- Basic programming concepts such as variables, conditions and loops; a refresher is given if needed
- Able to install and uninstall software on Windows
- Comfortable using the internet and Windows
- A Windows 11 laptop that can run Visual Studio 2026 Community, with permission to install software
Curriculum
Course Details
This course is the 2026 edition that replaces the previous Basic Visual Studio 2010 Professional course. It has been rewritten from scratch for Visual Studio 2026 with .NET 10 (LTS) and C# 14. It runs for 3 days, 6 hours per day (18 hours in total, 09:00-16:00), as lectures with labs built on a sample application that grows throughout the course. Beginner level. Retired topics such as Silverlight, macros, CodeRush Xpress and load testing have been dropped, Git with GitHub replaces the old Team Foundation Server source control, and GitHub Copilot, Hot Reload, code coverage and publishing to containers have been added. Every lab works in Visual Studio Community. Learners take home a lab guide, source code for every lab and recommended IDE settings.
Day 1 The IDE, Projects and a First App
Section 1: Lab: Installing Visual Studio 2026
- How the Community, Professional and Enterprise editions differ
- Install with the Visual Studio Installer and choose the right workloads
- Monthly IDE updates and installing the .NET 10 SDK
- Sign in, sync settings and choose a theme
- Lab: install the .NET desktop and ASP.NET workloads
Section 2: Exploring the IDE Workspace
- Solution Explorer and the Properties and Output windows
- Arrange windows, save layouts and use the IDE's command search
- Solutions versus projects, and the new .slnx file format
- Options worth changing and the most useful keyboard shortcuts
- Use Help and the documentation on Microsoft Learn
Section 3: Lab: A First App with a Console and Class Library
- Create a .NET 10 console app in C#
- Move code into a class library and reference it across projects
- Install packages with the NuGet Package Manager
- Lab: a price calculator with its logic in a library
Section 4: Project Types and Templates
- Windows Forms and WPF for desktop work
- ASP.NET Core, Blazor and Web API for web work
- .NET MAUI for multi-platform apps in brief
- Project templates, item templates and creating your own
- Choosing the project type that fits an organisation's needs
Section 5: Lab: A Desktop App with WPF
- Design screens with the XAML designer and Toolbox
- Adjust screens with the Properties window and Document Outline
- Data binding and displaying data as lists
- Fetch JSON data from the web with HttpClient
- Lab: an app that shows news or prices from an online source
Day 2 Writing Code, Data and Debugging
Section 6: The Code Editor and IntelliSense
- IntelliSense, Parameter Info and Quick Info
- Code snippets and creating your own
- Format code with .editorconfig and Code Cleanup
- Navigate code with Go To, Find All References and bookmarks
- The Task List, XML documentation comments and other languages the IDE supports
Section 7: Lab: Refactoring and Code Quality
- Quick Actions and the light bulb for fixing code
- Rename, Extract Method and Extract Interface
- Code analysers and reading warnings in the Error List
- View structure with Class View and class diagrams
- Lab: tidy a messy sample into readable, testable code
Section 8: GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio
- Code completion and Copilot Chat inside the IDE
- Ask the AI to explain code, create tests and suggest fixes
- Agent and planning modes at a glance, and where they fit
- Review AI-written code, and take care with organisational data
- Lab: use Copilot to add a feature, then check the result yourself
Section 9: Lab: Working with Databases
- SQL Server Object Explorer and LocalDB
- Create tables and write queries from inside the IDE
- Connect an app to the database with EF Core 10
- Lab: save and display product data in the WPF app
Section 10: Lab: Debugging Applications
- Conditional breakpoints, tracepoints and Step Into, Over and Out
- The Watch, Locals, Autos and Call Stack windows
- Exception Settings and the Diagnostic Tools for CPU and memory
- Change code while it runs with Hot Reload
- Lab: track down and fix hidden bugs in a sample app
Day 3 Testing, Teamwork and Delivering the App
Section 11: Lab: Unit Tests and Code Coverage
- Create a test project with MSTest or xUnit
- Run and group tests in Test Explorer
- View code coverage, now available in every Visual Studio edition
- Lab: write tests for the pricing class library
Section 12: Git and GitHub in Visual Studio
- Create a repository and commit from the Git Changes window
- Branch, merge and resolve conflicts inside the IDE
- Push to GitHub and create a pull request
- Review pull requests inside the IDE
- Lab: work in pairs through branches and pull requests
Section 13: Builds and Application Settings
- Debug and Release build configurations
- MSBuild and customising the .csproj project file
- Assembly version information and the app icon
- appsettings.json, user secrets and resource files (.resx)
- Support several languages with localisation
Section 14: Lab: Publishing and Delivering Apps
- Folder, framework-dependent and self-contained publish profiles
- Single-file publishing and ClickOnce for desktop apps
- Publish a web app as a container image
- Lab: publish the WPF app and a sample web app and test them on another machine
Section 15: Workshop: Extensions and a Complete App
- Find and install extensions with the Extension Manager
- Add external tools to the Tools menu, and an introduction to VSIX packages
- Workshop: build a data management app from a new project to publishing
- Use Git, tests and Copilot throughout the workshop, then present the result
Schedule & training options
For individuals — public rounds
No public rounds are open right now. Join the waiting list and we will contact you first when the next round opens, or ask us on LINE. Or call 02-570-8449 or 088-807-9770
For organisations — in-house / private
- Tailor the content to your team’s tools and projects
- Your dates, at your office or live online
- Quotation with tax ID for procurement
Instructors
Frequently asked questions
How do you use breakpoints to debug a program in Visual Studio?
Click in the left margin or press F9 to set a breakpoint, then press F5 to start debugging and the program stops on that line. Use F10 and F11 to step through the code, check variables in the Locals and Watch windows and follow the method calls in the Call Stack. To stop only in certain cases, give the breakpoint a condition. In Visual Studio 2026 you can also change code while it runs with Hot Reload, without restarting the program.
What is a unit test, and how do you write one in Visual Studio?
A unit test is code that checks a small method or class behaves as expected, so you can change code knowing you have not broken what already works. In Visual Studio, add an MSTest or xUnit test project, reference the project under test, write test methods with assertions and run them from Test Explorer, which shows passes and failures. Code coverage is available in every Visual Studio edition.
How do Windows Forms and WPF differ?
Both build Windows desktop apps and both run on .NET 10. Windows Forms uses drag-and-drop design with straightforward event handlers, so it is quick to learn and suits simple in-house tools. WPF defines screens in XAML and offers more flexible data binding, styles and templates, scales well across screen sizes and separates the interface from the logic more cleanly, which suits apps that need a modern look and long-term maintenance.
Who is the Basic Visual Studio 2026 course for, and what should I know beforehand?
It suits anyone starting to develop with Visual Studio and .NET, including students, lecturers, junior programmers, IT staff and people who used an older Visual Studio. You should understand basic programming, with a refresher given if needed, and be able to use Windows and install software yourself.
What will I be able to do after the Basic Visual Studio 2026 course?
You will be able to install and configure Visual Studio 2026 for your work, create .NET 10 console, class library and WPF projects, write code faster with IntelliSense, refactoring and GitHub Copilot, debug systematically, write unit tests, use Git and GitHub inside the IDE and publish apps for delivery. Participants who complete the training receive a Certificate of Completion with its own number, which can be verified online.
Can the Basic Visual Studio 2026 course be run in-house for our team?
Yes. It can be run in-house for your team, with examples adapted to your work, such as a focus on desktop or web apps, using Git with your organisation's repositories, or agreeing how the team uses AI assistants safely. You can request a quotation from this page, or contact us on LINE @itgenius or by phone on 02-570-8449.