ASP.NET is a Microsoft web application development framework that allows programmers to build dynamic web sites, web applications and web services. It is useful to use this tag in conjunction with the project type tag e.g. [asp.net-mvc], [asp.net-webforms], or [asp.net-web-api]. Do NOT use this tag for questions about ASP.NET Core - use [asp.net-core] instead.
ASP.NET was first released in January 2002 with version 1.0 of the .NET Framework and is the successor to Microsoft's Active Server Pages (ASP) technology. ASP.NET is built on the Common Language Runtime (clr), allowing programmers to write ASP.NET code using any supported .NET language.
Typically, ASP.NET uses a WebForms style of development, which was also the original method of developing web applications in ASP.NET. Web forms are a model which mimics the control/event model of classic Windows Forms development providing the illusion of stateful pages.
In March of 2009, Microsoft released version 1.0 of the ASP.NET MVC Framework. As an alternative model to web forms, this framework applies the Model-View-Controller pattern to web applications in ASP.NET.
As ASP.NET includes its own controls library for web forms, wrapping HTML controls and adding functionality to them, any ASP.NET controls have as markup <asp:ctrl_name></asp:ctrl_name>.
For example:
<asp:Label ID="Label1" runat="server"></asp:label>
Will be rendered like a <span></span>
For ASP.NET MVC, instead of a control library, there exist HTML helper methods which make it easier to blend HTML markup with code, while allowing developers to create views in mostly pure HTML.
There are two templating engines for ASP.NET MVC. The original one is webforms-view-engine and uses .aspx and .ascx files for views and partial views, respectively. The other, newer one is razor, which focuses on developer productivity by providing more concise and less obtrusive syntax.
More information at: www.asp.net
It is useful to use this tag in conjunction with the project type tag e.g. asp.net-mvc, webforms, or asp.net-web-api. DO NOT use this tag for questions about ASP.NET Core - use asp.net-core instead.
Development Tips:
Tips for good website design, which loads and works faster
Initial release:
January 2002
Stable Release:
Stable release 4.8 (18 Apr 2019)
Latest Preview Release:
Preview release 6.0.0-preview.3 (8 Apr 2021)
Important Questions
- ASP.NET "special" tags - A reference on tags like
<%= ... %>and<%# ... %> - asp.net web service using office 2010 COM
- How to get the URL of the current page in C#
- ASP.NET Page Life Cycle
Essential Downloads
References
- The Official Microsoft ASP.NET Homepage
- ASP at MSDN
- ASP Development Center at MSDN
- Microsoft ASP - Frequently Asked Questions
- ASP.NET page on Wikipedia
- What is ASP.NET by Scott Hanselman
Books:
- Beginning ASP.NET 4.5 in VB (Beginning Apress)
- Beginning ASP.NET 4.5: in C# and VB
- Ultra-Fast ASP.NET 4.5
- Pro ASP.NET MVC 4 (Professional Apress)
- Beginning ASP.NET 3.5 in C# 2008: From Novice to Professional (Expert's Voice in .NET)
- Sams Teach Yourself ASP.NET 3.5 in 24 Hours, Complete Starter Kit
- Beginning ASP.NET 3.5: In C# and VB (Programmer to Programmer)
- Pro ASP.NET 3.5 in C# 2008: Includes Silverlight 2
- Programming ASP.NET 3.5
- ASP.NET 3.5 Unleashed
