Why do I get errors CS8803 and CS0106?

Question

I am a new to C# and .NET 9. I am trying to execute the following program I found from the official MS tutorial - Create record types

public record Point(int X, int Y);

public static void Main()
{
    Point pt = new Point(1, 1);
    var pt2 = pt with { Y = 10 };
    Console.WriteLine($"The two points are {pt} and {pt2}");
}

in my VS Code. When I run dotnet build, I get the following error :

Restore complete (1.1s)

TestProject failed with 2 error(s) (1.0s)
/workspaces/workspace/c#/CsharpProjects/TestProject/Program.cs(3,1): error CS8803: Top-level statements must precede namespace and type declarations.
/workspaces/workspace/c#/CsharpProjects/TestProject/Program.cs(3,1): error CS0106: The modifier 'public' is not valid for this item

Build failed with 2 error(s) in 3.5s

However, the same program available in the web tutorial works fine when I click on run (green button on top right).

I would like to know why it does not work locally? And how can I fix it?

You may consider following the steps in this post to create your project. There's a PowerShell script at the end of the post that you can run that automates the process. — It all makes cents
– It all makes cents, Commented May 21 at 18:28
The following may be of interest: Main() and command-line arguments, Tutorial: Explore ideas using top-level statements to build code as you learn, and Top-level statements - programs without Main methods. — It all makes cents
– It all makes cents, Commented May 21 at 18:49
@IvanPetrov I believe this is not a duplicate. This is also asking about how the code on MS Learn can be directly run, though it can definitely be edited to put more emphasis on that part. — Sweeper
– Sweeper, Commented May 21 at 20:10
@Sweeper edited the question to put emphasis on it, retracted vote. Really wished somebody at MS double-checks docs/tutorials... — Ivan Petrov
– Ivan Petrov, Commented May 21 at 20:29

Sweeper · Accepted Answer · 2025-05-21 19:02:35Z

You should put the Main method inside a class, or use top level statements, i.e. move the body of the Main method before the record declaration.

Point pt = new Point(1, 1);
var pt2 = pt with { Y = 10 };
Console.WriteLine($"The two points are {pt} and {pt2}");

public record Point(int X, int Y);

The reason why you were able to run the same code on the Microsoft Learn website, is because that code is actually part of a larger file that you can't see.

The interactive code block on the website is powered by Try .NET, which is a tool that turns .md files into interactive sites with code blocks directly runnable in the browser.

The original .md file is here. In it, it references a PointEvolution.cs file like this:

:::code language="csharp" interactive="try-dotnet-class" source="./snippets/TuplesAndTypes/PointEvolution.cs" id="PointVersion2":::

Try .NET converts this into that interactive code block you see. PointEvolution.cs actually contains:

namespace PointEvolution;

public static class SampleTwo
{
    // <PointVersion2>
    public record Point(int X, int Y);

    public static void Main()
    {
        Point pt = new Point(1, 1);
        var pt2 = pt with { Y = 10 };
        Console.WriteLine($"The two points are {pt} and {pt2}");
    }
    // </PointVersion2>
}

Only the part in the <PointVersion2> tag is visible and editable on the website. The code you see on the website is actually enclosed in a separate class.

Marc Gravell · Accepted Answer · 2025-05-21 18:46:19Z

5

Either:

Put your Main method inside a class
Move the code from Main out of the method

You're confusing it by having a method not inside a type, as to whether you're trying to use top-level statements or not. Top-level statements replace the need for a Main method as an entry-point, but impose some additional rules. It is fine to use the older Main approach, but that needs to be declared inside a class.

answered May 21 at 18:46

Marc Gravell

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