Modern Web Apps in ASP.Net - How good is it?

Since its initial release in January 2002, ASP.Net is being used by developers across the world to create a wide variety of websites, web application and web services. Microsoft has further made both .Net framework and ASP.Net open source. So now the server-side web development framework can also be used by both small businesses and startups. The enterprises will still evaluate the effectiveness of ASP.Net in creating modern web applications. However, a number of reports have already highlighted why ASP.Net can be used effectively for creating modern and user-friendly internet apps.

Why Enterprises Prefer ASP.Net for Creating Modern Web Applications?

Loads of Controls

While creating complex and mission critical web applications, developers have to write longer lines of code. But ASP.Net developers can use a variety of predefined controls to avoid writing additional code. They have option to use HTML server controls, web server controls, validation server controls and data bound controls. They can make several HTML tags programmable simply by adding the runat=”server” attribute. Likewise, the ASP.Net controls are tags that are identified and understood by the server. At the same time, the data bound controls can be used to retrieve and present data in a more efficient way. These controls help programmers in enhancing the look, feel and performance of the internet app without writing lengthy code.

Option to Create Custom and User Controls

Along with using the predefined ASP.Net controls, programmers also have option to create custom and user controls. They can encapsulate and register specific sections of a web page, and use them as user controls. Similarly, they can also create custom controls that can be used across multiple web apps and Visual Studio projects. As modern web apps are required to deliver personalized user experience, these controls are useful for keeping the users engaged.

Improve the App’s Performance

In comparison to other server-side scripting languages, ASP.Net is more effective in increasing the application’s performance. The Cache object provided by the framework can be used for storing data for a specific amount of time. Also, the Cache object can be shared across multiple applications. While being compiled for the first time, the server side code is added to the DLL files or assemblies on the web server. The DLL or assemblies contain Microsoft Intermediate Language (MSIL) that run within common language runtime. So the performance of the ASP.Net application is boosted without putting any extra effort.

Several Extension Frameworks

Microsoft has further released a set of extension frameworks to extend the functionality of ASP.Net. So the web programmers have option to extend the performance of ASP.Net by plugging AJAX, MVC framework, Dynamic Data, Razor View Engine and Web API. ASP.Net AJAX helps programmers in enhancing the performance of a web page by adding AJAX functionality to both client-side and server-side components. ASP.Net framework facilitates development of large application by keeping the business logic and presentation separate. ASP.Net Dynamic Engine can be used by developers to create data-driven applications. ASP.Net Web API makes it easier for programmers to expose web services to a wide range of devices.

Enhanced Cyber Security

ASP.Net further helps programmers in creating secure web applications. The developers can use several ASP.Net validation server controls to validate the user input against a specific value or range of values. If the value entered by the user does not pass the validation, the control will display him an error message. At the same time, the programmers can also use ASP.Net Identity 2.0 to effectively handle the complex authentication and authorization of modern internet apps. As ASP.Net Identity 2.0 supports two-factor authentication, the enterprises can allow users to access their application only by entering the code sent to them through SMS or email. Also, the user account can be blocked temporarily to protect the internet application from all types of cyber criminals.

Microsoft has already revealed its plan to re-implement ASP.NET development as a cross-platform, modular and modern web application development framework. The project called ASP.NET vNext will merge Web Pages, Web API and MVC. The unified MVC 6 provided by the next generation of ASP.Net will make it easier for programmers to make large and complex internet apps more user-friendly.

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Few Reasons Why Customers prefer ASP.Net for Their Software Development

ASP.Net, the open source server side application framework that is exclusively designed for development and production of dynamic web pages has earned a lot of accolades from all quarters, thanks to a number of reasons. It is for these reasons that the framework today is preferred by the majority of the customers, when it comes to software development.

Technically speaking, this application framework has brought in a sea change in the process of application development. The framework, with the use of various compiled languages like VB, C# and the likes, has come up with a wide range of options for the developers and programmers to choose from, when it comes to developing rich and dynamic websites as well as applications with optimal perfection in a seamless manner and that also in a jiffy. Thus, today ASP.Net has become an inseparable part of the software development fraternity.

Frankly speaking, the framework not only deals with languages, but it also allows the user to take the fullest advantage of various .Net languages like VB, C#, J# and so on. ASP.Net also makes sure that the developers, with the aid of the visual studio is able to come up with compelling as well as innovative applications that will lure the customers. It is an entirely server-side technology that was primarily introduced for adding a dynamic tinge to the static sites. It also makes sure that the sites are able to automatically update without the need of any manual intervention. All the top class modern websites are developed using ASP.Net nowadays, and these sites have immensely benefited from this application framework.

There are a number of points that has made the framework far superior than the other models that are used for website development. The most important of them is the fact that it drastically reduces the amount of code needed for designing larger applications. Thus, it helps greatly in time saving. That saved time can be channelized to other activities that may result in increased profit.

Let us now look into some of the other advantages that have made it, the most preferred application framework for software development.

1. Besides radically reducing the volume of code needed to develop larger applications, it also helps to authenticate the built-in Windows along with the application wise configuration, and thus makes sure that the applications are absolutely safe as well as secured.
2. It helps to improve the performance, by taking the benefit of early binding, perfectly times applications, native optimization, as well as various innovative service caching.
3. The framework is supported by a rich designer application along with a toolbox that helps Visual Studio is a great way
4. It also facilitates WYSIWYG editing, provides the option of automatic deployment, drag-and-drop controls of the server. These are some of the most powerful tools that are responsible for the popularity of the framework.
5. The pages created with the help of ASP.Net are extremely easy to maintain as well as write due to the twin presence of source code and HTML. Also, it is on the server where the source code is executed. This particular property lends a lot of flexibility as well as power to the web pages.
6. The runtime monitor that the framework comes up with, manages each and every process meticulously. This ensures that even if a process dies, it can be quickly replaced by a new one. This plays an important role in keeping an application available for handling requests without any interruption.
7. It is entirely a server-side technology and hence the code thereof at first executes itself on server, and then it is transferred to the respective browser.
8. Again, since it is based on server-side technology, it also offers the option of choosing a language that is the fittest to be used in a particular application. It also helps in partitioning the applications across multiple languages.
9. Deployment of ASP.Net is extremely easy. Registration of components is not required as it comes with an in-built configuration information
10. The web server carries out continuous monitoring of the pages, applications as well as the components that are running on it. The moment it picks up any issue like leakage of memory, presence of infinite loop, various illegal activities, it instantaneously terminates those activities and restarts itself.

So, in the nutshell ASP.Net, which is also regarded as the next generation of MS ASP, is an astounding framework that is used to seamlessly create various enterprise-class sites, different types of web applications as well as technologies. Hence, irrespective of the scale of business, this server-side application framework comes up with all the necessary features that can possibly be used for designing dynamic web pages. This is the reason it is so much adored by the customers these days. Also, the fact that it is open source and hence is free has also helped its cause in a great way. You can get in touch with a custom .Net development company who can help you develop web apps that are stable, scalable and secure.

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ASP.Net programming language - A Game changer

ASP stands for Active Server Pages and in this programming, code is written for facilitation of ASP functionality. In this functionality database-driven, dynamic content is delivered to website viewers, without the server-side system being taxed. In this programming both HTML files as well as ASP files are written and the HTML pages are placed with ASP codes which are then enclosed in individual tags. Changing just the ASP files will change the code. Through the programming, scripting can be done on languages such as Jscript, Visual Basic Script, Python, Perl, etc as well. The language has become quite a game changer due to the multitude of benefits that it offers when compared to the others. Some of the benefits that it offers to the developers are discussed here.

True Object Oriented Programming or OOP experience- Through the concept of OOP, really large applications can be easily build; at the same time the code is kept structured as well as clean. When compared to other scripting languages which forced developers to write spaghetti code, in this language, code and display are separated from each other. ASP.NET can be told by developers about where objects have to be created, manipulate the look of the controls, what is displayed by them as well as their size.

XML support- XML can be really easy to use for data configuration, manipulation as well as storage. Information which seldom changes can be stored well since the information can be simply cached in the memory of the computer after initial extraction.

Web applications become faster- There are two aspects that contribute towards its speed- caching and compiled code. Through caching information which will be reused is stored in a specific memory location so that faster access can be achieved in future. Programmers can set up areas of pages or simply pages which can be reused commonly for caching in a specified time period so that the web applications perform better. Additionally data is cached from database so that frequent visiting to databases do not slow down the website. Previously, there was an interpretation of code into “machine language” during the viewing of your page. However, with this language the compilation is carried on even before your site is visited by visitors.

Increased development speed- By virtue of this language an application or website can be developed very quickly in comparison to other technologies. There is an assortment of built-in features that help developers design all kinds of custom applications easily.

Rich client-side and server control- There is excellent client-side as well as server control through several features that help in the development of interactive grids, calendars as well as wizards. You can have full control over websites through this. In fact, the control features can be used immediately.

Applications are available constantly- All the processes are closely monitored and managed by ASP.NET runtime which means when one process dies then automatically a new process is begun which keep the application available at all times for the handling of requests.

Ease of maintenance- The server executes source code, offering a huge amount of flexibility to the web pages. On top of that the presence of HTML makes the maintenance as well as editing of the pages really easy.

Security- The best advantage that ASP.NET offers is that there is built-in security that provides support for authorization as well as authentication. There are options as well for implementation with standards like Kerberos, NTLM, etc.

This is just a brief introduction to how the language has become a game changer in the world of development; actually the list of advantages offered by it carries on and on. It can be the ultimate choice for those who want great performance, minimal code but maximum security. On top of that, working on it is not a very complex process, making it the darling among developers.You can get in touch with a asp.net web development company who can help you develop web apps that are stable, scalable and secure.

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What would businesses benefit by migrating to higher versions in ASP.Net?

.NET Migration is the mechanism of porting various applications that are developed in ASP/VB to .NET framework. More and more businesses are migrating to higher version of ASP.Net in recent years, more so after the introduction of newer, feature-rich .NET Framework 2.0, 3.0 as well as 3.5 versions. Now the question is whether it is worthwhile to migrate to these higher versions of ASP.Net or continuing with the earlier versions is much more fruitful from the technical as well as financial point of view.

Though the .NET framework is designed to provide a wide range of flexible environment for migration as well as porting from ASP and VB to their more advanced versions, it encompasses a considerable extent of technological issues when it comes to successful and effective implementation. In fact, migration to the higher version opens up an entire new world of possibilities for various web-based applications.

Let us discuss some of the benefits that the businesses are likely to enjoy once they migrate to the higher ASP.Net versions.

Even though the primary objective is to maintain the ASP.Net sites that already exist, a business should basically be concerned about the fact that no further service packs for Visual Studio 2003 and .NET Framework 1.1 are available on and after 14^th October, 2008, though extended support was available till 8^th October 2013. It is this that has prompted the businesses to migrate to the higher versions. More so, they have been encouraged by the fact that an increasing number of third party vendors have stopped offering supporting components that would have helped running of the lower version like .NET Framework 1.1 or Visual Studio 2003 IDE. In fact, these two apps have ceased to exist and have been pushed to oblivion.

Again, once should not ignore the tremendous technological enhancements that the .NET framework has undergone over the last few years and this is reason enough as well for the companies to migrate.

The latest cutting-edge technology that the Visual Studio 2010 IDE has come up with is a fantastic platform that provides businesses to use various languages as well as powerful third party plugins, each of which would provide a new degree of programming productivity to the businesses.

Migrating to the higher versions will provide businesses the following benefits.

• It will help businesses to fully integrate the .NET developers into the already-existing team of developers

• It will also enable the businesses to enjoy professional services from a pool of experienced .NET consultants.

• It will enable businesses to out-source as well as offshore services – an option that has always been a plus point of .NET application development.

After migrating the businesses can take the privilege of a wide range of technological superiority. Let us discuss them in short.

Superior Security and Performance

Businesses that have migrated have enjoyed much better security as well as performance

Easier and much superior Integration with external applications as well as tools

Advanced User Interface Elements

High Quality Coding

Migration to higher versions of results in much higher quality, pure C# coding, which can be designed to play the role of the best and the most wide accepted launching point for all the future business centric needs and requirements of the application.

In short, migration to higher version involves the following benefits:

• New Functionality - XML Web Services, Web based forms

• Fully incorporated Support for Debugging– Tracing

• Cleaner Coding Model that is based on the Code Behind concept

• Improved Performance as well as Scalability – compiled language support, improved caching

• Simpler Configuration along with Faster Development

• More Intelligent Web Controls

However, to ensure a successful and effective migration, certain processes need to be followed. Several process groups that the process of migration can be divided into the following phases:

1. Evaluation Process
2. Automatic Conversion
3. Manual Changes
4. Functional Equivalence
5. Customized Evolution

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How can You Leverage the Power of ASP.Net MVC Platform?

As a lightweight and highly testable web application development framework, ASP.Net MVC is used by developers across the world to create robust applications by implementing the model–view–controller (MVC) pattern. The open source framework further allows developers to avail existing ASP.NET features. It uses interface-based contracts to combine models, views, and controllers seamlessly.

Thus, it becomes easier for software QA professionals to test each component independently. The recently released ASP.NET MVC 5.1 also comes with a set of enhanced features to complement the current trends in web application development. Also, you can avail certain features to leverage the power of the latest version of ASP.Net MVC platform.

5 Techniques to Leverage the Power of ASP.Net MVC Platform

1) ASP.Net MVC Scaffolding

Like other MVC frameworks, ASP.Net MVC also allows you to use scaffolding technology to generate code for you database quickly. In addition to generating code for basic database operations like create, read, update and delete (CRUD), you can further use scaffolding to customize and modify the auto-generated code. Scaffolding allows you to create functional data-driven websites rapidly by using several Scaffold templates like page templates, filter templates, field page templates and entity page templates. You can use these templates to generate code basic CRUD operations within the ASP.NET MVC framework.

2) AJAX Helpers

ASP.Net MVC further allows developers to create AJAX enabled elements through AJAX Helpers. You can use the extension methods of AJAXHelper class to create AJAX enabled forms and links. The framework also supports unobtrusive AJAX. So you can use the helper method to define custom AJAX features through different configuration options. At the same time, the properties defined by AjaxOptions class can be used to specify callbacks for various stages of AJAX request life cycle.

3) HTML Helpers

HTML Helper can be defined as a method that returns HTML string. You can use the TML string to represent a variety of content according to your specific needs. For example, the method can also be used to render <img>, <input>, <button> and other standard HTML tags. You also have option to use several types of HTML helpers including inline, built-in, and template HTML helpers. Also, you can render more complex content by creating customized HTML Helpers. For instance, you can create custom HTML Helper to display the data retrieved from database in a tabular format, or render a menu strip.

4) TempData

While using ASP.Net MVC, you have option to pass data from the current request to subsequent request through TempData. The option will make it easier for you to pass data while redirecting from one page to another. However, the lifespan of the option is short, and it will expire once target view is loaded fully. So you have to call the Keep() method to persist data in TempData. The Keep method, however, needs to be called within the current action to keep the value in TempData even after the request is completed.

5) ASP.Net MVC Filters

Often developers have to put extra effort to inject a logic or piece of code before or after executing an action. ASP.NeT MVC makes the process simpler for programmers by allowing them to use custom attributes. The ASP.Net MVC attribute or custom attribute contains the logic or code by implementing filter interface. While developing web application with ASP.Net MVC, you have option to use filters for custom authorization, custom authentication, error handling, data compression and data caching. Based on the requirements of the application, you have option to choose from several types of filters including authentication, authorization, action, result, and exception filters.

It is always important for a developer to decide if ASP.Net MVC is the best option to develop a specific internet application. So you must compare the features of ASP.NET MVC 5.1 according to specific needs of the web application development project to leverage its power more effectively. You can get in touch with a custom .net development company who can help you develop web apps that are stable, scalable and secure.

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ASP Dot NET Web Development- Latest Technology with Numerous Advantages

As a widely used web application development framework, ASP.NET needs no introduction. Microsoft further updates the framework constantly to enable developers to build dynamic websites, internet applications and web services rapidly. While developing web applications with ASP.NET, each seasoned developer can further focus on many ongoing trends. As many reports highlighted, the top ASP.NET trends for 2014 includes Open Web Interface for .NET (OWIN), SignalR, ASP.NET Web API and Azure. However, the beginners need to learn features of the framework, along with the advantages of using the latest technology for internet application development.

Key Advantages of ASP Dot NET Web Development

Supports Multiple Website Development Approaches

Web developers across the world use HTML, JavaScript and CSS to build standards-based websites. But the approach for creating website varies from one developer to another. ASP.NET makes it easier for developers to choose the right approach by supporting three website development approaches. The programmers opting for component-based development can use the controls and event model provided by ASP.NET Web. At the same time, ASP.NET MVC facilitates test-driven development, while allowing developers to keep the design and logic separate. Similarly, the code and HTML markup can be combined seamlessly on a single page through ASP.NET Web Pages. The three distinct approaches can be further combined according to the specific requirements of a project.

Integrated Development Environment

The ASP.NET developers can further use an integrated development environment (IDE) to build dynamic internet applications within a shorter span of time. Both Visual Studio and ASP.NET allow them to use a large number of tools, along with powerful editors for HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript. The developers can simply use IntelliSense with JavaScript to check the CSS selectors that works seamlessly in the web browser. Similarly, the Browser Link can be used to refresh a dozen connected web browsers in an instant. Along with creating internet applications, the IDE further facilitate efficient source control while publishing the site to a server or the cloud.

ASP.NET Web API

Nowadays, most websites and web applications use lightweight and rich REST based web services. The developers can use ASP.NET Web API to create REST based web services. These web services can further return a variety of content supported on the internet including XML and JSON. The API can also be used effectively to provide data services to mobile apps running on popular mobile operating systems like iOS, Android and Windows Phones. At the same time, the ASP.NET Web API is accessible to all internet applications developed using ASP.NET Web Forms, MVC or Web Pages.

SignalR

The programmers also have option to add real-time features to the ASP.NET application through SignalR. The go-to library further facilitates bi-directional communication between client and server in a real-time environment. SignalR further supports new standards like Web Sockets to make the internet application compatible with older browsers. It also provides support the JavaScript clients, along with clients on a variety of mobile platforms.

Facilitates Rapid Mobile Application Development

The mobile application development frameworks have made it easier for programmers to build mobile applications. A developer familiar with JavaScript, HTML5 and CSS3 can use the tools provided by these frameworks to develop mobile applications. ASP.NET helps programmers in building mobile apps by providing responsive design frameworks. The Visual Studio 2013 comes with innovative frameworks like Twitter Bootstrap. At the same time, the ASP.NET developers also have option to use any open grid system or CSS framework, along with powerful mobile app development systems like PhoneGap, jQuery Mobile or Sencha.

A developer can further use the most recent version of ASP.NET to avail a set of advanced and innovative features. For instance, ASP.NET 4.5 allows streams to be read in an asynchronous way on an HTTP request entity, along with double-buffering an HTTP request entity.

Get in touch with a .net application development company that brings to table years of .Net experience.

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.NET Framework Offers 2 Crucial Aspects - Common Language Run time & Class Library

When it comes to developing applications that can operate on various operating systems, MS.NET framework is the best bet as it supports a lot of other operating systems other than Microsoft. They include Linux, Fedora, or Mac. Besides, it also provides the programmers as well as developers the option of using .NET API, that includes a wide range of components as well as platform libraries. A developer has the liberty of using the framework for developing various desktop, web as well as distributed applications, web services along with websites.

Besides, a programmer also has the leverage of using the features of language integration and that gives a lot of benefits like debugging or cross language inheritance. Naturally, when compared to other features of .NET, CLR or Common Language Run time and CL or Class Library play a more pivotal as well as effective role in giving the performance and the efficacy of various applications a shot in their arms. Let us discuss these two most important aspects of NET individually.

CLR or Common Language Runtime

CLR forms the very foundation or the base of .NET framework. In fact, it is the CLR that is responsible for runtime code execution management. Besides, it also offers various core services that include compilation, memory as well as thread management, code execution, type safety enforcement, code safety verification etc. As CLR provides a typically managed environment for execution of code, it enhances the productivity of the developer. Besides, it also plays an active role in the development of various robust applications.

Common Language Runtime consists of the following features:

• Memory Management
• Common Type System

Memory Management

CLR comes up with a garbage collector that manages the allocation as well as the release of memory for an application. From the developer's point of view, this implies that there is no need to write codes for performing memory management while developing managed applications.

Besides, as newly allocated objects are stocked contiguously in the managed heap, it becomes possible for an application to access them rather quickly. Besides allocation of memory, the chief task of garbage collector is determining the best time for performing collection. Again, when the garbage collector performs collection, it lets loose the memories for objects that are not used any more by that application.

• Value types
• Reference Types

Class Library

SDK CL of Windows includes a subset of name spaces which categorically provides the users the option of creating a series of ASP.NET sites, controls as well as components thereof. Let us discuss some of the key name spaces that are provided for the development of ASP.NET. Different aspects of Class Library are ASP.NET web development, Control as well as Component Development, Configuration, Management along with Hosting.

Irrespective of the nature or type of application, a user can enjoy a number of advantages offered by CLs. Hence, .NET Framework CL can be defined as an exhaustive collection of various reusable types that can be collated or integrated with CLR cohesively. Besides database connectivity as well as database collection, serialization of objects, access of files, .NET framework types can also be used to perform certain common tasks including string management.

As and when CL gets object oriented, the managed code can avail a particular or specific type for getting a certain functionality. This particular feature makes it a lot easier and simpler when it comes to using .NET framework types and integration of third-party components with framework bases.

Apart from these two crucial aspects for development of .NET application framework, a programmer also needs to have a clear understanding of CTS or Common Types Systems specification. The specification deals with data types as well as programming constructs that are supported by the CLR.

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