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Answer: By using top-level statements, you can write executable code directly at the root of a file. (S1) The compiler generates the entry point; the explicit Main method still works and is common in existing codebases.

Top-level

// Program.cs
using System;
Console.WriteLine($"Args: {args.Length}");
return 0;

args is available implicitly, and you can await and return an exit code.

Explicit Main

class Program {
  static int Main(string[] args) {
    Console.WriteLine("Hello");
    return 0;
  }
}

The runtime calls Main when the app starts. It must be declared inside a class or struct.

Rules

• Only one file per project can have top-level statements.
• Type declarations must come after the statements.
• See Main method entry point for the explicit Main method approach. (S1)

Claims

• id: C1 claim: Use top-level statements for new apps. source: S1 evidence: "Use top-level statements for new apps."
• id: C2 claim: Top-level statements let you write code at the root of a file. source: S1 evidence: "you can write executable code directly at the root of a file."
• id: C3 claim: The Main method is the entry point of a C# application. source: S2 evidence: "The Main method is the entry point of a C# application."
• id: C4 claim: Main must be declared inside a class or struct. source: S2 evidence: "You must declare Main inside a class or struct."

Sources

• [S1] Top-level statements - programs without Main methods - C#. Microsoft Learn (.NET docs). https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/fundamentals/program-structure/top-level-statements . License: CC BY 4.0 (dotnet/docs). Accessed 2026-11-04.
• [S2] Main() and command-line arguments - C#. Microsoft Learn (.NET docs). https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/fundamentals/program-structure/main-command-line . License: CC BY 4.0 (dotnet/docs). Accessed 2026-11-04.

License: this note is CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted).

@misc{iil_note_zyh5qh3e,
  author = {{iinventedlight}},
  title = {{C\# top-level statements vs Main}},
  howpublished = {iinventedlight Library},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-11-04},
  url = {https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/csharp-top-level-statements/},
  note = {Permanent ID iil:note:zyh5qh3e. License: CC-BY-4.0.},
}

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