[russellsprouts]

Yes. However, C# uses the convention that capitalized "fields" are actually properties, and lowercase ones are true fields.

For example, Foo.X might be an x position, returned from a getter method, and set with a setter method. Internally, the class make use the Foo.x field to store it, in which case the getter and setter are trivial. In fact, C# will write them for you The property could look like:

    int X{
        get;
        set;
    }

(Though my syntax might not be completely correct, I haven't used C# in a while). C# will automatically create a private field to store the value for x, and the getter and setter will work as expected.

Classes should, as a general rule, only expose properties and methods to the outside world. All fields should be private. Yes, accessing a property calls a method, but so does a Java getX().

Java uses the same rule, except getters and setters are implemented using setX(int) and getX(). C# properties are the equivalent. The client of a class should not care how the class stores values, but that the getters and setters work.

[Someone]

"However, C# uses the convention that capitalized "fields" are actually properties, and lowercase ones are true fields."

If only. In http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/ms229043%28v..., Microsoft advocates:

"The PascalCasing convention, used for all identifiers except parameter names, capitalizes the first character of each word"

[cmircea]

The UI in MonoDevelop / Visual Studio will show the differences during autocomplete. Also, fields should NEVER be public in a class.