What is ASP.NET | Build Interactive Websites with ASP.NET

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Picture a website you build not only looks good, it acts, interacts and converses with users! ASP.NET is for the rescue here.

What is ASP.NET?

ASP.NET is an open-source, server-side web framework developed by Microsoft. It helps developers build dynamic, interactive, and high-performing web applications. Think of it as the brain behind a smart website.

Why Use ASP.NET?

Here are a few reasons why ASP.NET is a go-to choice:

  • Speed: ASP.NET applications run faster because they compile to machine code before running.
  • Security: Built-in features like authentication and authorization make it safe.
  • Versatility: You can create web pages, RESTful APIs, and even real-time chat apps.
  • Cross-platform: ASP.NET Core (a newer version) works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.


Where Do We See ASP.NET in Action?

Here are some examples of what you can build:

  • E-commerce sites like Amazon or Flipkart.
  • Content management systems (CMS) for blogs or news sites.
  • Web APIs that power mobile apps and other services.
  • Dashboard apps for data visualization.

Let’s Build a Simple ASP.NET Project: A “Hello, World!” Web App

This project is the most basic example but a fun way to get started.

Step 1: Setting Up the Environment

  1. Install the .NET SDK (if not already installed): Download it from https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download.
  2. Install Visual Studio (Community Edition works great—it’s free).
  3. During installation, select the ASP.NET and web development workload.

Step 2: Create the Project

  1. Open your terminal or command prompt.
  2. Run the following command to create a new ASP.NET Core project:

dotnet new web -o SimpleAspNetApp

Step 3: Navigate to the Project 

Move into the project directory:

cd SimpleAspNetApp

Step 4: Run the Project 

Start the development server:

dotnet run
  • Open a browser and go to http://localhost:5000 (or as shown in the terminal).
  • You should see a default "Hello World" message.

    • Step 5: Modify the Project 

  • Now let’s customize it to display a welcome message.
  • Open the Program.cs file in your project.
    • Update the code to the following:

    var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
     var app = builder.Build();
    // Define a simple route
    app.MapGet("/", () => "Welcome to your first ASP.NET Core application!");
    app.Run();

    Save the file and re-run the project:

    dotnet run

    Visit http://localhost:5000 again. You will see:

    Welcome to your first ASP.NET Core application!


    If you want to return an HTML page instead of plain text:
  • Create a new folder named Pages in the root directory.
  • Add a file named index.html inside the Pages folder with this content:


    • <!DOCTYPE html>
    <html lang="en">
    <head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>ASP.NET App</title>
    </head>
    <body>
    <h1>Welcome to ASP.NET Core!</h1>
    <p>This is your first web page.</p>
    </body>
    </html>


    Update the Program.cs file:

    var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
     var app = builder.Build();
    app.UseStaticFiles();
    app.MapGet("/", () => Results.redirect("/Pages/index.html"));
    app.Run();

    Restart the app using dotnet run and visit http://localhost:5000. Your HTML page will now load.

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