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Difference Between .NET Razor & .NET Blazor

Introduction

In the fast-paced world of web development, Microsoft's .NET framework provides a comprehensive set of tools and technologies for building robust web applications. Among these, .NET Razor and .NET Blazor are two distinct approaches to creating web interfaces. Despite sharing roots in the .NET framework, they serve different purposes and have unique features. In this article, we will explore the differences between .NET Razor and .NET Blazor using practical examples to better understand their strengths and use cases.

.NET Razor VS .NET Blazor

Understanding .NET Razor

.NET Razor is a server-side markup syntax that allows developers to embed C# code directly into HTML pages. It facilitates the creation of dynamic web content by seamlessly integrating server-side logic with HTML markup. Let's consider a simple example to illustrate the usage of .NET Razor:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>.NET Razor Example</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Welcome, @Model.Name!</h1>
</body>
</html>

In this example, we have a Razor view file (.cshtml) that greets the user with a personalized message retrieved from the model. The @Model.Name expression injects the value of the Name property from the model into the HTML content. This dynamic content generation occurs on the server before the page is sent to the client's browser.

Exploring .NET Blazor

.NET Blazor, on the other hand, is a client-side web framework that allows developers to build interactive web applications using C# and HTML. Blazor leverages WebAssembly to execute .NET bytecode directly within the browser, enabling rich client-side interactivity without relying on JavaScript. Let's delve into a simple Blazor example:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>.NET Blazor Example</title>
    <script src="_framework/blazor.webassembly.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Welcome, @Name!</h1>

    @code {
        private string Name { get; set; } = "John Doe";
    }
</body>
</html>

In this Blazor component, we define a C# property Name and directly reference it within the HTML markup. The @Name expression dynamically renders the value of the Name property in the browser. Unlike Razor, this code executes on the client side, leveraging WebAssembly to run .NET code directly within the browser environment.

Contrasting Use Cases

  • .NET Razor: Ideal for server-side rendering and traditional web applications where dynamic content is generated on the server. It offers simplicity, performance, and security for applications that do not require extensive client-side interactivity.
  • .NET Blazor: Suited for building rich, interactive web applications with client-side interactivity. It enables full-stack development with .NET, allowing developers to leverage C# for both client and server-side logic. Blazor is particularly advantageous for single-page applications (SPAs) and scenarios requiring real-time updates and rich user interactions.

Conclusion

.NET Razor and .NET Blazor represent two distinct paradigms for building web interfaces within the .NET ecosystem. While Razor excels in server-side rendering and traditional web applications, Blazor revolutionizes client-side development by bringing the power of .NET to the browser. Understanding the differences between these technologies is essential for developers to choose the right approach based on the requirements of their projects. Whether opting for the simplicity of Razor or the interactivity of Blazor, developers have powerful tools at their disposal to create compelling web applications within the .NET framework.


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