ASP.NET Core Framework

Content

• The Power of the MVC Model in ASP.NET Core
• The Rich Ecosystem of ASP.NET Core
• Rapid Development with ASP.NET Core

The Power of the MVC Model in ASP.NET Core

ASP.NET Core leverages the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern to create robust, maintainable, and testable web applications. The MVC model separates an application into three main components:

• Model: Represents the application data and business logic.
• View: Handles the display of the data (UI).
• Controller: Manages user input, manipulates the model, and renders the appropriate view.

Benefits of MVC in ASP.NET Core

The MVC pattern in ASP.NET Core offers several advantages:

• Separation of Concerns: By dividing the application into distinct components, developers can focus on specific areas without affecting others.
• Testability: The separation allows for easier unit testing of individual components.
• Scalability: Applications are more manageable and can scale effectively as complexity grows.

// Example of a simple Controller in ASP.NET Core
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;

public class HomeController : Controller
{
    public IActionResult Index()
    {
        var model = new HomeViewModel
        {
            Message = "Welcome to ASP.NET Core MVC!"
        };
        return View(model);
    }
}

In the example above, the HomeController handles the incoming request, prepares the model, and returns the view to be rendered.

The Rich Ecosystem of ASP.NET Core

ASP.NET Core boasts a rich ecosystem of libraries, tools, and community support that enhances development productivity and application capabilities.

• NuGet Packages: A vast repository of packages that provide additional functionality, such as authentication, logging, and data access.
• Entity Framework Core: An object-relational mapper (ORM) that simplifies database interactions.
• Dependency Injection: Built-in support for dependency injection promotes modular and testable code.
• Cross-Platform Support: ASP.NET Core applications can run on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Open Source: The framework is open source, encouraging community contributions and transparency.

Integrating Third-Party Libraries

Adding functionality is straightforward with NuGet packages.

// Installing a package via the CLI
$ dotnet add package Serilog.AspNetCore

// Configuring Serilog in Program.cs
using Serilog;

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

// Add services to the container.
builder.Host.UseSerilog((ctx, lc) => lc
    .WriteTo.Console()
    .ReadFrom.Configuration(ctx.Configuration));

var app = builder.Build();

In this example, Serilog is integrated for enhanced logging capabilities.

Rapid Development with ASP.NET Core

ASP.NET Core enables fast project development through several features:

• Command-Line Interface (CLI): Create, build, and run applications quickly from the command line.
• Scaffolding: Automatically generate controllers and views based on the model classes.
• Razor Pages: Simplifies page-focused scenarios, reducing the need for controllers.
• Hot Reload: Makes it possible to modify code while the application is running and see changes without restarting.

Creating a New Project

// Creating a new MVC project using the CLI
$ dotnet new mvc -o MyMvcApp
$ cd MyMvcApp
$ dotnet run

These commands create a new MVC project and run it, demonstrating how quickly a developer can get started.

Using Scaffolding

Scaffolding can generate CRUD operations based on your models.

// Example of using scaffolding to create a controller and views
$ dotnet aspnet-codegenerator controller -name ProductsController -m Product -dc ApplicationDbContext --relativeFolderPath Controllers --useDefaultLayout --referenceScriptLibraries

This command generates a ProductsController with corresponding views for the Product model, expediting the development process.

Hot Reload Feature

The Hot Reload feature allows developers to see code changes without restarting the application.

// Running the application with Hot Reload enabled
$ dotnet watch run

Modifications to the code are applied immediately, improving development speed and efficiency.