In this short tutorial, we will demonstrate the basic knowledge of ASP.NET MVC that you need to begin to run a web based application. Also you will learn how to download and make a web application using Visual Studio. We have divided the method in 8 simple steps with graphical aid so that anyone can understand and follow.

What is ASP.NET MVC?

ASP.NET is a free web framework application, developed by Microsoft. It targets beginners who want to make their website and web application on the .NET framework using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Developers can build their Dynamic web applications using ASP.NET MVC framework that also enables a clear separation of concerns and allows you to make fast development of your website or web application and TDD friendly (Test-driven development).

MVC is also a design pattern used to de-couple user interface (View), data (Model), and application logic (Controller). This tutorial is specially designed for beginners and professionals who want to learn about ASP.NET MVC. ASP.NET MVC is also a web framework that is based on Mode-View-Controller (MVC) architecture

Caution:

In order to understand the depth concepts of ASP.NET MVC, you must have Basic knowledge of NET framework 4.5 and Visual Studio.

ASP.NET MVC Architecture

Here you will learn about ASP.NET MVC architecture.

The MVC architecture is one the earliest framework in software engineering. It is used in all most all language with slight variations but idea remains the same

Now let’s understand what the role of MVC in ASP.NET is.

Parts of ASP.NET MVC application

MVC has divided an application into three parts

• Model
• View
• Controller

Model

It shows what the shape of Data is. A class in C# is used to express the Model. Model objects also store data which is recovered from the database

Model express Data

View

The role of view in MVC is called the user interface. The view allows the user to display Model data and also enables the user to modify them. View in the ASP.NET MVC, also called HTML, CSS, and some special syntax (Razor Syntax) that allow users to communicate with Model and Controller easily.

View express User interface

Controller

The controller manages the User Requests. Often by using view user raises an HTTP request, which is operated by the controller. Controller processes the request, and as a response, it returns a proper view

The controller controls the User request

The following figure shows the relationship between Model, View, and Controller

The figure below shows that when any user enters the URL in the browser. Then it directly goes to the webserver and then goes to the controller. As a response, the controller gives a detailed view and Model to that request, which is granted by the user and sent it back to the browser. This is how Model, View, and controller works with each other.

Things to remember

• MVC means Model, View, and Controller
• Model express data
• View express User interface
• The controller controls the User request

How to create ASP.NET MVC Application

In this part, we will make an MVC web application by using Visual Studio and going to understand the basic Building blocks of ASP.NET MVC Application.

We will use ASP.NET MVC v5.2 and Visual Studio community edition and .NET framework 4.6 to make our MVC Application

Downloading Visual Studio

You can download latest version of Visual Studio from this website.

visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads.

We recommend you to download visual studio from Microsoft original website.This method is not limited to any version. But you can also use any alternative download sources, such as file hippo or other, based on your convenience.

Steps to create a web Application

Following these steps, you can easily create a web application MVC.

Step#1

After download Visual Studio Open it and go to file menu -> New -> Project as Shown in the figure below

Step#2

After opening a new project, expand the Visual C# node and select Web after this select ASP.NET MVC Application (.NET framework) from here, you can give your application a name. You can also change the location By clicking on browse, then click OK

Step#3

After it selects MVC if it is not already selected

Step#4

Here you can also change Authentication by clicking Change Authentication

Step#5

We are not changing the Authentication then click OK

Step#6

Wait a while till the Visual Studio creates a simple MVC project using its templates

Step#7

Now press F5 to run your project in debug mode and press ctrl+F5 to run your project without debugging it. This will open a web page in the browser

Step#8

In MVC 5 project it contains JavaScript and CSS file of Bootstrap 3.0 it will become a responsive web page and will fit fine on every device irrespective of their screen size. and yes we are done creating our own Web application using Microsoft visual studio.

Overview

We have demonstrated the basic concepts of ASP.Net, a brief history of ASP.Net, and its architecture.  Following these simple steps, anyone can easily download Microsoft Visual Studio and create your first web application.

Creating an ASP.NET MVC application involves several steps, starting from setting up the development environment to building and deploying the application. Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating an ASP.NET MVC application effectively:

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Step 1: Set Up Your Development Environment

1. Install Visual Studio:

   • Download and install Visual Studio.
   • During installation, ensure you select the “.NET and web development” workload.

2. Install Required SDKs:

   • Ensure you have the correct version of the .NET Framework/SDK installed. You can check the Microsoft documentation for the latest versions.

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Step 2: Create a New ASP.NET MVC Project

1. Start Visual Studio:

   • Open Visual Studio and select Create a new project.

2. Select Project Template:

   • Search for “ASP.NET Web Application (.NET Framework)” and select it.
   • Give your project a name, choose a location, and click Create.

3. Choose MVC Template:

   • In the next dialog, choose the MVC template.
   • If required, enable additional configurations like Authentication.

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Step 3: Understand the MVC Structure

• Model:

  • Represents the data and business logic of the application.
  • Use Entity Framework or any ORM to connect to a database.

• View:

  • Handles the user interface and presents data to the user.
  • Typically, Razor (.cshtml) syntax is used.

• Controller:

  • Handles user requests and returns appropriate responses.
  • Contains action methods that map to user interactions.

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Step 4: Build the Application

1. Define the Database:

   • Use Entity Framework for database operations.
   • Create models and use Code First or Database First approach.

2. Create Models:

   • Add classes to represent your data entities in the Models folder.

3. Add Controllers:

   • Right-click on the Controllers folder > Add > Controller.
   • Use MVC Controller – Empty or MVC Controller with views, using Entity Framework.

4. Create Views:

   • Right-click on the Views folder > Add > View.
   • Use Razor syntax to display data from the model.

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Step 5: Configure Routes

• Define custom routes in the RouteConfig.cs file located in the App_Start folder.
• Example:

  routes.MapRoute(
      name: "Default",
      url: "{controller}/{action}/{id}",
      defaults: new { controller = "Home", action = "Index", id = UrlParameter.Optional }
  );
  

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Step 6: Add Functionality

• Implement business logic in models.
• Write controller actions to handle requests and return data to views.
• Use JavaScript or libraries like jQuery for dynamic front-end behavior.

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Step 7: Debug and Test

1. Run the Application:
   • Press F5 to start the application and test it in the browser.
2. Debugging:
   • Use breakpoints in Visual Studio to debug controllers and other logic.

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Step 8: Deploy the Application

1. Publish to IIS:

   • Right-click the project in Solution Explorer > Publish.
   • Choose IIS, Azure, or other hosting options.

2. Deployment Package:

   • Generate a deployment package for manual deployment.

3. Host on Cloud:

   • Use Azure, AWS, or other cloud services for hosting.

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Best Practices

1. Use Dependency Injection:

   • Inject services into controllers for better testability and maintainability.

2. Implement Security:

   • Use ASP.NET Identity for authentication and authorization.
   • Enable HTTPS and use data validation to prevent security vulnerabilities.

3. Follow Clean Architecture:

   • Separate layers (e.g., Business Logic, Data Access) for a scalable and maintainable codebase.

4. Use Partial Views and Layouts:

   • Reuse common UI elements with layout pages and partial views.

5. Optimize Performance:

   • Minimize JavaScript, CSS, and other assets.
   • Use caching and bundling techniques.

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Would you like a practical example or assistance with a specific part of the process?