ASP.NET MVC Tutorial
ASP.NET is a development framework for creating web pages and websites using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and server scripts.
ASP.NET supports three different development models:
This tutorial introduces MVC.
| Web Pages | | MVC | | Web Forms |
MVC Programming Model
MVC is one of the three ASP.NET programming models.
MVC is a pattern for creating web applications using the MVC (Model View Controller) design:
- Model represents the application core (such as a list of database records).
- View displays the data (the database records).
- Controller handles the input (writing database records).
The MVC pattern provides full control over HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
| | MVC pattern defines web applications with three logical layers: Business layer (model logic) Display layer (view logic) Input control (controller logic) |
Model is the part of the application that handles application data logic.
View is the part of the application that handles data display.
Controller is the part of the application that handles user interaction.
MVC layering helps manage complex applications as you can focus on one aspect at a time. For example, you can focus on view design without depending on business logic. It also makes the application easier to test.
MVC layering also simplifies group development. Different developers can work on view, controller logic, and business logic simultaneously.
Web Forms vs. MVC
The MVC programming model is a lightweight alternative to traditional ASP.NET (Web Forms). It is a lightweight, highly testable framework that integrates all existing ASP.NET features such as master pages, security, and authentication.
Visual Studio Express 2012/2010
Visual Studio Express is the free version of Microsoft Visual Studio.
Visual Studio Express is tailored for MVC (and Web Forms) development.
Visual Studio Express includes:
- MVC and Web Forms
- Drag-and-drop web controls and web components
- Web server languages (Razor using VB or C#)
- Web server (IIS Express)
- Database server (SQL Server Compact)
- Complete web development framework (ASP.NET)
If you have already installed Visual Studio Express, you will learn more from this tutorial.
If you want to install Visual Studio Express, click one of the following links:
Visual Web Developer 2012 (Windows 7 or Windows 8)
Visual Web Developer 2010 (Windows Vista or XP)
| | After your first installation of Visual Studio Express, you can install patches and service packs by running the installer again, just by clicking the link again. | | --- | --- |
ASP.NET MVC Reference Manual
At the end of this tutorial, we provide a complete ASP.NET MVC reference manual for your reference.