New Certification: Windows Store App Using C#
Check it out, there is a new certification for Windows Store App Developer, either with HTML5 or C#, here is the location for C# developer:
https://www.microsoft.com/learning/en-us/mcsd-windows-store-apps-certification.aspx
Practice Tests for the C# can be purchased at, Measure Up is the only source right now, keep in mind that you should only use the Measure Up exam when you feel you are ready to take the exam for real. Once you take the Practice Exam it loses it’s capability to realistically test your skilles:
https://www.measureup.com/70-483-Programming-in-C-P4220.aspx
Here are the goals for the exam:
Implement multithreading and asynchronous processing
- Use the Task Parallel library (ParallelFor, Plinq, Tasks); create continuation tasks; spawn threads by using ThreadPool; unblock the UI; use async and await keywords; manage data by using concurrent collections
Manage multithreading
- Synchronize resources; implement locking; cancel a long-running task; implement thread-safe methods to handle race conditions
Implement program flow
- Iterate across collection and array items; program decisions by using switch statements, if/then, and operators; evaluate expressions
Create and implement events and callbacks
- Create event handlers; subscribe to and unsubscribe from events; use built-in delegate types to create events; create delegates; lambda expressions; anonymous methods
Implement exception handling
- Handle exception types (SQL exceptions, network exceptions, communication exceptions, network timeout exceptions); catch typed vs. base exceptions; implement try-catch-finally blocks; throw exceptions; determine when to rethrow vs. throw; create custom exceptions
Create types
- Create value types (structs, enum), reference types, generic types, constructors, static variables, methods, classes, extension methods, optional and named parameters, and indexed properties; create overloaded and overriden methods
Consume types
- Box or unbox to convert between value types; cast types; convert types; handle dynamic types; ensure interoperability with unmanaged code, for example, dynamic keyword
Enforce encapsulation
- Enforce encapsulation by using properties, by using accessors (public, private, protected), and by using explicit interface implementation
Create and implement a class hierarchy
- Design and implement an interface; inherit from a base class; create and implement classes based on the IComparable, IEnumerable, IDisposable, and IUnknown interfaces
Find, execute, and create types at runtime by using reflection
- Create and apply attributes; read attributes; generate code at runtime by using CodeDom and lambda expressions; use types from the System.Reflection namespace (Assembly, PropertyInfo, MethodInfo, Type)
Manage the object life cycle
- Manage unmanaged resources; implement IDisposable, including interaction with finalization; manage IDisposable by using the Using statement; manage finalization and garbage collection
Manipulate strings
- Manipulate strings by using the StringBuilder, StringWriter, and StringReader classes; search strings; enumerate string methods; format strings
Debug applications and implement security (25%)
Validate application input
- Validate JSON data; data collection types; manage data integrity; evaluate a regular expression to validate the input format; use built-in functions to validate data type and content out of scope: writing regular expressions
Perform symmetric and asymmetric encryption
- Choose an appropriate encryption algorithm; manage and create certificates; implement key management; implement the System.Security namespace; hashing data; encrypt streams
Manage assemblies
- Version assemblies; sign assemblies using strong names; implement side-by-side hosting; put an assembly in the global assembly cache; create a WinMD assembly
Debug an application
- Create and manage compiler directives; choose an appropriate build type; manage programming database files and symbols
Implement diagnostics in an application
- Implement logging and tracing; profiling applications; create and monitor performance counters; write to the event log
Perform I/O operations
- Read and write files and streams; read and write from the network by using classes in the System.Net namespace; implement asynchronous I/O operations
Consume data
- Retrieve data from a database; update data in a database; consume JSON and XML data; retrieve data by using web services
Query and manipulate data and objects by using LINQ
- Query data by using operators (projection, join, group, take, skip, aggregate); create method-based LINQ queries; query data by using query comprehension syntax; select data by using anonymous types; force execution of a query; read, filter, create, and modify data structures by using LINQ to XML
Serialize and deserialize data
- Serialize and deserialize data by using binary serialization, custom serialization, XML Serializer, JSON Serializer, and Data Contract Serializer
Store data in and retrieve data from collections
- Store and retrieve data by using dictionaries, arrays, lists, sets, and queues; choose a collection type; initialize a collection; add and remove items from a collection; use typed vs. non-typed collections; implement custom collections; implement collection interfaces