Get Started with ASP.NET

ASP.NET is a free web framework for building great Web sites and Web applications using HTML, CSS and JavaScript. ASP.NET supports three approaches to build web sites:

• Web Pages

  Provides a simple way to seamlessly connect to a database or add in dynamic server code into HTML using the new, light 'Razor' syntax for fast development.
  

• Web Forms

  Offers a familiar model that lets you reuse controls and incorporate data into your Web site, making your work reusable and you more productive.
  
  
  

• MVC

  Builds on a pattern that enables clean separation of concerns within your web applications, and delivers full control over HTML for enjoyable, agile development.
  
  

  What is ASP.NET Web Pages?

  ASP.NET Web Pages and the new Razor syntax provide a fast, approachable, and lightweight way to combine server code with HTML to create dynamic web content. Connect to databases, add video, link to social networking sites, and include many more features that let you create beautiful sites using the latest web standards.
  WebMatrix is a free development tool that makes Web Pages development easy.
  
  

  What is ASP.NET Web Forms?

  ASP.NET Web Forms lets you build dynamic websites using a familiar drag-and-drop, event-driven model. A design surface and hundreds of controls and components let you rapidly build sophisticated, powerful UI-driven sites with data access.
  Visual Studio Express provides a free development tool that makes Web Forms development easy.
  
  
  

  What is ASP.NET MVC?

  ASP.NET MVC gives you a powerful, patterns-based way to build dynamic websites that enables a clean separation of concerns and that gives you full control over markup for enjoyable, agile development. ASP.NET MVC includes many features that enable fast, TDD-friendly development for creating sophisticated applications that use the latest web standards.
  Visual Studio Express provides a free development tool that makes MVC development easy.
  
  

  What is WebMatrix?

  WebMatrix is a free, lightweight set of web development tools that provides the easiest way to build websites. It includes IIS Express (a development web server), ASP.NET (a web framework), and SQL Server Compact (an embedded database). It also includes a simple tool that streamlines website development and makes it easy to start websites from popular open source apps. The skills and code you develop with WebMatrix transition seamlessly to Visual Studio and SQL Server.
  The web pages that you create using WebMatrix can be dynamic—that is, they can alter their content or style based on user input or on other information, such as database information. To program dynamic Web pages, you use ASP.NET with the Razor syntax and with the C# or Visual Basic programming languages.
  If you already have programming tools that you like, you can try the WebMatrix tools or you can use your own tools to create websites that use ASP.NET.
  This chapter shows you how WebMatrix makes it easy to get started creating websites and dynamic web pages.
  

  Installing WebMatrix

  To install WebMatrix, you can use Microsoft’s Web Platform Installer, which is a free application that makes it easy to install and configure web-related technologies.
  

  1. If you don't already have the Web Platform Installer, download it from the following URL:
  2. Run the Web Platform Installer, select Spotlight, and then click Add to install WebMatrix.

  
  

  Getting Started with WebMatrix

  To begin, you'll create a new website and a simple web page.
  

  1. Start WebMatrix.
     
  2. Click Site From Template. Templates include prebuilt files and pages for different types of websites.
     
  3. Select Empty Site and name the new site Hello World.
  4. Click OK. WebMatrix creates and opens the new site. At the top, you see a Quick Access Toolbar and a ribbon, as in Microsoft Office 2010. At the bottom left, you see the workspace selector, which contains buttons that determine what appears above them in the left pane. On the right is the content pane, which is where you view reports, edit files, and so on. Finally, across the bottom is the notification bar, which displays messages as needed.