Tool chain to write Pine 64 linux apps on a Windows Dev machine

[SvdSinner]

I'm a professional software developer (but not a Linux developer) so this question is not "How do I code an app?"  The question is "What's the easiest way to write Pine64 code to handle GPIO events."


Details:  I want to build a background process for my Pine64 (running Debian) to handle GPIOs so that I can power on/off a few things either via Node-Red (already installed on the pine), or by manually pushing a button on my Pine64 case.  The program logic is done, but I'm struggling to find a tool chain that I can use to create the program.  Either I can't compile the code, or once I get an executable running, it doesn't seem to run.  

In a perfect world, I'd love to get C# on the Pine64 working, but I'd be happy with any standard language (C, C++, etc.) that I can write and compile on my main dev machine, which runs Windows 10.  (It can run Linux in a VM if required for compiling.  Heck, I could write it and compile it on the Pine64 via VNC, if that is what is needed.)

What I need is a "Hello World" or "Blink an LED" guide to get a background app/service going on the Pine64 from my Dev machine that covers:

• What needs to be installed on my dev machine (software, dependencies, etc.)  and how do I execute builds (command line commands, etc.)? 
  
• What language I should use (Needs to read/write to GPIOS, run as a background service, and make Node Red calls.  Minor file IO would also be nice)
  
• What do I need to install/configure on the Pine 64 to get the executable to run?
  
• What debugging patterns/tools can I use?  (Is there an IDE supporting debugger breakpoints?  Can I pause running code to inspect its state?  Am I limited to logging style debugging similar to on Arduino?  Are there Pine64 emulators that I can test the code with virtual GPIO inputs?) 
  
• How do I deploy the compiled executable to run as a background service?  How do I update the executable with a newer executable each time I make a new version?
  

If I can simply get the above figured out, I can handle the rest of the app.  Its humbling how much of a dunce I feel like that I can't seem to get these basics figured out on my own.

In short, the ideal solution would be a way to code in C# on windows in an IDE and nice debugging on a local emulator.  Minimum solution would enable me to write something I can compile somehow into a Linux executable and at least lets me see some kind of logging-style debugging output.