Overview of Microsoft Web Technologies
Let us see the different Web Technologies provided by Microsoft to develop Web Applications and
Web Services.
ASP.NET offers several frameworks for building web applications: Web Forms, ASP.NET MVC, ASP.NET
Web Pages, ASP.NET Core (.NET), Blazor, etc. Each of these Web Technologies offered by Microsoft
has its own purpose. None of the web frameworks is trying to replace the other.
Let us have an overview of all these Microsoft Web Technologies:
ASP.NET Web Forms:
ASP.NET Web Forms is a framework for building dynamic web applications using a drag-and-drop,
event-driven model. Web Forms was introduced in the original .NET Framework 1.0 version, released
in 2002. It is Ideal for developers familiar with Windows Forms or those who need to develop web
applications with complex UI interactions quickly.
Features:
Event-Driven Development: Similar to Windows Forms, it allows developers to handle events for UI
elements.
Code-Behind Model: This model separates the presentation layer (HTML and Web Forms) from the
logic layer (C# or VB.NET code).
State Management: Provides mechanisms to manage state across postbacks (e.g., ViewState,
Session).
Rich Server Controls: Includes a wide range of server controls (e.g., GridView, Repeater) for rapid
development.
ASP.NET MVC:
ASP.NET MVC is a framework for building scalable, testable, and maintainable web applications
following the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern. It was introduced in the .NET Framework 3.5
version, which was released in 2009. It is best suitable for applications that require a clean
architectural model, test-driven development, and full control over HTML and JavaScript.
Features:
Separation of Concerns: It divides application logic into three interconnected components: Model,
View, and Controller. The model contains the business logic, the View contains the UI logic, and the
Controller contains the control flow logic.
Testability: Improved testability due to the separation of concerns and the ability to use interfaces
and dependency injection.
Routing: Flexible URL routing system for clean URLs and SEO-friendly pages.
Views: Uses Razor syntax to create dynamic views with HTML and C#.
Extensibility: Highly extensible with support for custom filters, helpers, and view engines.
ASP.NET Web API:
ASP.NET Web API is a framework for building HTTP services that can be consumed by various clients,
including browsers and mobile devices. These HTTP services can return data in various formats,
including JSON and XML. It is best for building services that need to support a broad range of clients,
including browsers and mobiles, and when you need to use the existing ASP.NET features like
authorization and error handling.
Features:
RESTful Services: Supports the creation of RESTful services following HTTP principles.
Content Negotiation: Automatically selects the appropriate media type formatter (e.g., JSON, XML)
based on client requests.
Routing: Uses attribute routing and conventional routing to define API endpoints.
Dependency Injection: Supports dependency injection for better modularity and testability.
Action Results: Provides a variety of action results to represent different HTTP responses.
ASP.NET Core MVC:
ASP.NET Core MVC is a framework for building modern Web applications following the Model-View-
Controller (MVC) pattern. It is part of ASP.NET Core, a cross-platform, high-performance, open-source
framework for building modern, cloud-enabled, Internet-connected applications. It is best for
developing cloud-based internet-connected applications, such as web apps, IoT apps, and mobile
backends.
Features:
Cross-Platform: Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
High Performance: Optimized for performance and scalability.
Unified Framework: Combines MVC, Web API, and Web Pages into a single framework.
Razor Views: Uses Razor syntax for building dynamic views.
Tag Helpers: Provides HTML tag helpers for generating dynamic content.
Dependency Injection: Built-in support for dependency injection.
ASP.NET Core Web API:
ASP.NET Core Web API is a framework for building HTTP services in ASP.NET Core, designed for cross-
platform usage and high performance. It is best suited for building RESTful applications on the .NET
Core platform with performance, security, and scalability requirements.
Features:
Cross-Platform: Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Performance: Optimized for performance and scalability.
Routing: Supports attribute routing and conventional routing.
Content Negotiation: Built-in support for content negotiation (e.g., JSON, XML).
Middleware Pipeline: Uses middleware for handling requests and responses.
Dependency Injection: Built-in support for dependency injection.
ASP.NET Core Razor Pages:
ASP.NET Core Razor Pages is a page-based programming model for building Web applications using
ASP.NET Core, designed for simplicity and productivity. It offers a simpler and more organized coding
structure compared to MVC. Each page is self-contained with its view component and corresponding
code. Razor Pages is well-suited for developers who prefer a page-based architecture for building
Web UIs.
Features:
Page-Based Model: Each Razor Page represents a single web page and its associated logic.
Separation of Concerns: Logic and presentation are separated into page models and Razor pages.
Razor Syntax: Uses Razor syntax for building dynamic web pages.
Routing: Automatically maps Razor Pages to URL routes.
Dependency Injection: Built-in support for dependency injection.
Page Handlers: Simplified handling of HTTP verbs (e.g., GET, POST) within a single page model.
ASP.NET Core Blazor:
ASP.NET Core Blazor is a framework for building interactive web UIs using C# instead of JavaScript. It
can run on the server (Blazor Server) or in the browser using WebAssembly (Blazor WebAssembly).
Blazor was first released as part of the .NET Core 3.0 version. It is ideal for .NET developers looking to
build interactive client-side Web UIs with .NET without relying on JavaScript.
Features:
Two Hosting Models: Blazor WebAssembly (runs in the browser) and Blazor Server (runs on the
server with SignalR for real-time updates).
Razor Components: Uses Razor syntax to define reusable UI components.
Full-Stack Development: Allows using .NET for both client-side and server-side code.
Dependency Injection: Built-in support for dependency injection.
Event Handling: Supports event handling and data binding directly in C#.
Overview of .NET Framework Versions:
The following is an overview of the .NET Framework versions from 1.0 to 4.8, the key features and
improvements introduced in each version:
.NET Framework 1.0 (2002)
The first version of the .NET Framework supports multiple programming languages, such as C# and
Visual Basic .NET. Release Date: February 2002
Key Features:
Common Language Runtime (CLR): Provides a managed execution environment.
Base Class Library (BCL): A rich library of classes for common tasks.
ASP.NET Web Form: Framework for building Web applications and services.
ADO.NET: Data access framework.
Windows Forms: Framework for building desktop applications.
.NET Framework 1.1 (2003)
An incremental update with improvements and new features. Release Date: April 2003
Key Features:
Mobile Controls: Improved support for mobile web applications.
Security Enhancements: Improved form authentication and authorization.
Side-by-Side Execution: Allows different versions of the runtime to run on the same machine.
.NET Framework 2.0 (2005)
Major updates introduce many new features and improvements. Release Date: November 2005
Key Features:
Generics: Adds support for generic types and methods.
Partial Classes: Allows splitting of class definitions across multiple files.
Anonymous Methods: Adds support for inline delegate declarations.
Data Controls: New data-bound controls like GridView and DetailsView.
.NET Framework 3.0 (2006)
Built on .NET Framework 2.0 with new frameworks. Release Date: November 2006
Key Features:
Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF): Framework for building rich desktop applications.
Windows Communication Foundation (WCF): Framework for building service-oriented applications.
Windows Workflow Foundation (WF): Framework for building workflow-enabled applications.
Windows CardSpace: Framework for managing digital identities.
.NET Framework 3.5 (2007)
Incremental update building on .NET Framework 3.0. Release Date: November 2007
Key Features:
Language Integrated Query (LINQ): Adds query capabilities to .NET languages.
ASP.NET MVC: A Framework for Developing Web Applications using Model-View-Controller (MVC)
Design Pattern.
Entity Framework. It is an object-relational mapper (ORM) that enables .NET developers to work with
relational data using domain-specific objects, eliminating the need for most of the data-access code.
ASP.NET AJAX: Integrated support for building responsive web applications.
New Data Controls: ListView and DataPager.
Automatic Properties: Simplified syntax for property declarations.
Extension Methods: Adds support for extending existing types with new methods.
.NET Framework 4.0 (2010)
Major update with significant enhancements. Release Date: April 2010
Key Features:
Dynamic Language Runtime (DLR): Support for dynamic languages.
ASP.NET Web API: ASP.NET Web API is a framework for building RESTful HTTP services that can be
consumed by a wide range of clients, including browsers and mobile devices.
Parallel LINQ (PLINQ): Parallel processing capabilities for LINQ queries.
Entity Framework 4.0: Enhanced ORM capabilities.
Task Parallel Library (TPL): Simplified parallel programming.
.NET Framework 4.5 (2012)
Update with new features and performance improvements. Release Date: August 2012
Key Features:
Async and Await: Asynchronous programming model.
ASP.NET Web API: Framework for building HTTP services.
Entity Framework 5.0: Performance improvements and new features.
Improved Start-up Performance: Faster application startup times.
Support for Windows Store Apps: Integration with Windows 8 apps.
.NET Framework 4.5.1 (2013)
Minor update with new features and improvements. Release Date: October 2013
Key Features:
App Suspension: Support for app suspension in Windows Store apps.
Improved Debugging and Performance: Enhanced debugging features and performance
improvements.
.NET Framework 4.5.2 (2014)
Minor update with bug fixes and improvements. Release Date: May 2014
Key Features:
Enhanced API Compatibility: Better API compatibility for applications.
Bug Fixes and Stability Improvements: General improvements and bug fixes.
.NET Framework 4.6 (2015)
Update with new features and enhancements. Release Date: July 2015
Key Features:
HTTP/2 Support: Improved performance with HTTP/2.
Roslyn Compiler: Integration with the new .NET Compiler Platform (“Roslyn”).
TLS 1.2 Support: Enhanced security with TLS 1.2.
RyuJIT: New 64-bit Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler.
.NET Framework 4.6.1 (2015)
Minor update with new features and improvements. Release Date: November 2015
Key Features:
Azure AD Integration: Improved integration with Azure Active Directory.
Improved Profiling and Debugging: Enhanced tools for profiling and debugging.
.NET Framework 4.6.2 (2016)
Minor update with new features and improvements. Release Date: August 2016
Key Features:
Support for New Windows Features: Enhanced support for Windows 10 features.
Bug Fixes and Improvements: General stability and performance improvements.
.NET Framework 4.7 (2017)
Update with new features and enhancements. Release Date: April 2017
Key Features:
Windows Forms Improvements: Enhancements to Windows Forms controls.
WCF Improvements: Performance and reliability enhancements for WCF.
.NET Framework 4.7.1 (2017)
Minor update with new features and improvements. Release Date: October 2017
Key Features:
Configuration Builders: This is a new feature for handling configuration settings.
Improved Cryptography: Enhancements to Cryptography APIs.
.NET Framework 4.7.2 (2018)
Minor update with new features and improvements. Release Date: April 2018
Key Features:
Accessibility Improvements: Enhancements for better accessibility support.
Additional Cryptography Support: New cryptographic algorithms and improvements.
.NET Framework 4.8 (2019)
The latest update with new features and enhancements. Release Date: April 2019
Key Features:
JIT Improvements: Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler improvements for better performance.
Windows Forms and WPF Improvements: Enhancements for Windows Forms and WPF applications.
