Applied ASP.NET 4 in Context
My first experience with ASP.NET wasn't very positive. It was back in 2003, and I had agreed to write a book for Microsoft Press about using ASP.NET to create XML web services.
This was when ASP.NET 1.0 was released. In those days, .NET was interesting but nothing special. It was widely regarded as Microsoft's attempt to compete with Java, and the whole platform had a "me too" feel about it. ASP.NET itself was a very rigid and limited platform. It hadn't been thought through and had a lot of rough edges. It was difficult to use, the tools support was lacking, and programmers had to work hard to get even the most basic functionality working.
Most Microsoft products follow a standard pattern of evolution. Version 1 shows promise but is rushed out the door and has major flaws. It is more a statement of intent rather than something to bet on. Version 2 fixes the worst flaws and delivers more of the original promise. Version 3 starts to look polished, but there are breaking changes. Version 4 is a solid performer, which adds innovative features and has the capability to lead the market segment.
This is the story of ASP.NET (and, of course, .NET as a whole). We are at the point where Microsoft excels: building on a solid and widely adopted product set to produce tools and features that shine. ASP.NET 4 is a very solid web application platform. It is packed with features, contains a choice of development frameworks, and has excellent tool support in Visual Studio. ASP.NET has reached maturity and is a platform to bet on.
In this book, I'll take you on a tour through ASP.NET, starting with the core platform features, moving on to the Web Forms and MVC framework development frameworks, and finishing with the information you need to know to successfully deploy an ASP.NET web application.
As we go from chapter to chapter, you'll learn everything you need to write effective ASP.NET web applications and understand how to solve the most commonly encountered web application challenges.
Who Should Read This Book?
This book was written for programmers who have some experience with C# and the .NET Framework and have a basic knowledge of web technologies such as HTML and HTTP. No prior knowledge of ASP.NET, Web Forms, or the MVC framework is required. You should have a basic familiarity with Visual Studio.
What Is Covered in This Book?
This book covers the major features of ASP.NET version 4, including core platform features, Web Forms, and the MVC framework. The emphasis of this book is about applying ASP.NET. To that end, I cover the core features in depth and leave the more academic and theoretical coverage to other authors. This book is about getting things done with ASP.NET.
What Is the Structure of This Book?
There are five parts to this book. The first helps you get ready to use ASP.NET and to understand the building blocks of the ASP.NET platform. By the end of these chapters, you will have all the software you require installed and ready to go.
Part II introduces the core features of the ASP.NET platform. You will learn how ASP.NET handles browser requests, how to create ASP.NET web pages, how to apply JavaScript to those pages, and how to create and consume web services.
Part III covers Web Forms, a set of features designed to make developing web applications similar to developing traditional Windows programs. Web Forms has fallen out of favor lately, but it is a powerful and flexible system, and it is worth taking the time to read these chapters.
Part IV covers the MVC framework, which is a relatively new addition to ASP.NET and which has stolen the limelight from Web Forms in the ASP.NET world. The MVC framework takes an approach to web application development that has a lot in common with platforms such as Ruby on Rails.
Part V covers some advanced topics, including web application security and deployment.
