How can I create an Excel spreadsheet with C# without requiring Excel to be installed on the machine that's running the code?

 

To create an Excel spreadsheet in C# without requiring Excel to be installed on the machine, you can use a library like EPPlus or ClosedXML. In this example, I'll demonstrate how to use ClosedXML to create an Excel spreadsheet. ClosedXML is a free and open-source library that allows you to work with Excel files without needing Excel installed. You can easily add this library to your project using NuGet.

Here's an example of how to create an Excel spreadsheet using ClosedXML:

1. Create a New C# Console Application:

   Start by creating a new C# Console Application in Visual Studio or your preferred IDE.

2. Install the ClosedXML Library:

   Open the NuGet Package Manager Console and run the following command to install the ClosedXML library:

   mathematica

Install-Package ClosedXML

Write C# Code:

Replace the code in your Program.cs file with the following example code:

csharp

3. using ClosedXML.Excel;
   
   class Program
   {
       static void Main()
       {
           // Create a new workbook and worksheet
           using (var workbook = new XLWorkbook())
           {
               var worksheet = workbook.Worksheets.Add("Sample Sheet");
   
               // Add data to the worksheet
               worksheet.Cell("A1").Value = "Hello";
               worksheet.Cell("B1").Value = "World";
   
               // Save the workbook to a file
               workbook.SaveAs("Sample.xlsx");
           }
   
           Console.WriteLine("Excel file created successfully.");
       }
   }
   

   This code creates a new Excel workbook, adds a worksheet, and populates it with some sample data. It then saves the workbook as "Sample.xlsx" in the project directory.

4. Run the Application:

   Build and run your C# application. It will create the Excel file "Sample.xlsx" in the project directory.

Now you have an Excel spreadsheet created programmatically using C# without the need for Excel to be installed on the machine. You can further customize the spreadsheet, add more data, formatting, and perform various Excel operations using the ClosedXML library as needed.