Getters, setters, and properties best practices. Java vs. C# -

i'm taking c# class right , i'm trying find out best way of doing things. come java background , i'm familiar java best-practices; i'm c# novice!

in java if have private property, this;

private string name;  public void setname(string name) {    this.name = name; }  public string getname() {    return this.name; } 

in c#, see there many ways of doing this.

i can java:

private string name;  public void setname(string name) {    this.name = name; }  public string getname() {    return this.name; } 

or can way:

private string name;  public string name {    { return name; }    set { name = value; } } 

or:

public string name { get; set; } 

which 1 should use, , caveats or subtleties involved each approach? when creating classes, following general best-practices know java (especially reading effective java). example, favoring immutability (providing setters when necessary). i'm curious see how these practices fit in various ways of providing setters , getters in c#; essentially, how translate best-practices java world c#?

edit

i posting comment jon skeet's answer got long:

what non-trivial property (i.e., significant processing , validation perhaps)? still expose via public property logic encapsulated in get , set? why would/should on having dedicated setter , getter methods (with associated processing , validation logic).

pre-c# 6

i'd use last of these, trivial property. note i'd call public property both getters , setters public.

immutability bit of pain automatically implemented properties - can't write auto-property has getter; closest can come is:

public string foo { get; private set; } 

which isn't really immutable... immutable outside class. may wish use real read-only property instead:

private readonly string foo; public string foo { { return foo; } } 

you don't want write getname() , setname(). in some cases makes sense write get/set methods rather using properties, particularly if expensive , wish emphasize that. however, you'd want follow .net naming convention of pascalcase methods, , wouldn't want trivial property implemented normal methods anyway - property more idiomatic here.

c# 6

hooray, have proper read-only automatically implemented properties:

// can assigned within constructor public string foo { get; } 

likewise read-only properties do need work, can use member-bodied properties:

public double area => height * width;