If you’re writing one of several applications that call for asynchronous programming, this concise hands-on guide shows you how the async feature in C# 5.0 can make the process much simpler. Along with a clear introduction to asynchronous programming, you get an in-depth look at how the async feature works and why you might want to use it in your application.

Written for experienced C# programmers—yet approachable for beginners—this book is packed with code examples that you can extend for your own projects.

• Write your own asynchronous code, and learn how async saves you from this messy chore
• Discover new performance possibilities in ASP.NET web server code
• Explore how async and WinRT work together in Windows 8 applications
• Learn the importance of the await keyword in async methods
• Understand which .NET thread is running your code—and at what points in the program
• Use the Task-based Asynchronous Pattern (TAP) to write asynchronous APIs in .NET
• Take advantage of parallel computing in modern machines
• Measure async code performance by comparing it with alternatives