Console Class in C#

The Console class in C# is part of the System namespace and provides methods and properties for interacting with the console window. It handles standard input, output, and error streams for console applications, allowing you to control cursor position, colors, buffer size, and other console characteristics.

Syntax

The Console class provides static properties and methods. Here are the basic syntax patterns −

Console.PropertyName = value;        // Setting properties
var value = Console.PropertyName;    // Getting properties
Console.MethodName(parameters);      // Calling methods

Console Cursor Properties

Using Console.CursorLeft Property

The CursorLeft property gets or sets the column position of the cursor within the buffer area −

using System;

class Demo {
   public static void Main(string[] args) {
      Console.BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor.Blue;
      Console.WriteLine("Background color changed = " + Console.BackgroundColor);
      Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.Yellow;
      Console.WriteLine("\nForeground color changed = " + Console.ForegroundColor);
      Console.CursorLeft = 30;
      Console.Write("CursorLeft position: " + Console.CursorLeft);
   }
}

The output will show the cursor repositioned to column 30 −

Background color changed = Blue

Foreground color changed = Yellow
                              CursorLeft position: 30

Using Console.CursorSize Property

The CursorSize property gets or sets the height of the cursor as a percentage (1 to 100) −

using System;

class Demo {
   public static void Main(string[] args) {
      Console.BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor.Blue;
      Console.WriteLine("Background color changed = " + Console.BackgroundColor);
      Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.Yellow;
      Console.WriteLine("\nForeground color changed = " + Console.ForegroundColor);
      Console.CursorSize = 1;
      Console.WriteLine("\nCursorSize = " + Console.CursorSize);
   }
}

The output of the above code is −

Background color changed = Blue

Foreground color changed = Yellow

CursorSize = 1

Console Buffer Properties

Using Console.BufferWidth Property

The BufferWidth property gets or sets the width of the buffer area −

using System;

class Demo {
   public static void Main(string[] args) {
      Console.BufferHeight = 200;
      Console.WriteLine("Buffer Height = " + Console.BufferHeight);
      Console.BufferWidth = 250;
      Console.WriteLine("Buffer Width = " + Console.BufferWidth);
   }
}

The output of the above code is −

Buffer Height = 200
Buffer Width = 250

Common Console Properties

Common Console Properties Comparison

Conclusion

The Console class in C# provides comprehensive control over console applications through properties like cursor positioning, colors, and buffer dimensions. These properties enable developers to create more interactive and visually appealing console interfaces by manipulating the console's appearance and behavior programmatically.