ASP Dot NET vs. other web application frameworks
The choice of web frameworks differs from company to company. Some companies prefer to select the appropriate web framework based on the specific needs of the project, while others opt for open source frameworks to reduce project overhead. But according to the latest framework usage statistics posted on BuiltWith.com, ASP.NET is more popular than various commonly used web frameworks like J2EE, Ruby on Rails, Adobe ColdFusion, and Classic ASP. However, it is still less popular than PHP, which is a web programming language. Microsoft recently made several changes to ASP.NET to make it different and better than other web frameworks. In addition to being open source and cross-platform, ASP.NET 5 also comes with a number of new features to make modern web application development easier.
Features that make ASP.NET 5 different from other web frameworks
Three different execution times
When using ASP.NET 5, developers have the option to choose from three different runtimes, namely Core CLR, full.NET CLR, and Cross Platform CLR. Core CLR allows programmers to run old and new versions of code together. At the same time, Cross Platform CLR makes it easy for them to run ASP.NET applications on popular platforms such as Windows, OS X, and Linux. As the default runtime, the .NET CLR allows developers to create applications that run on existing .NET frameworks. Therefore, developers now have the option to choose the runtime according to the needs and compatibility of the nature of the application.
Cloud ready configuration
Many companies today use cloud platforms to facilitate the development and deployment of modern web applications. But developers have to spend extra time and effort to implement projects in the cloud. ASP.NET 5 makes it easy for developers to deploy or publish web applications in the cloud without worrying about many configurations. The cloud-ready configuration provided by the web framework simplifies the process of migration and deployment of cloud projects. Developers can save more time by converting the legacy project to a blue cloud project and publishing the converted project directly.
A unified programming model
The complex nature of modern websites causes developers to use multiple programming frameworks and models together. Most web frameworks require programmers to switch from one programming model to another while developing modern web applications and services. But ASP.NET 5 comes with a unified programming model called MVC 6. MVC 6 includes several frameworks including MVC, Web API, Web Pages, SignalR, and Identity. The unified programming model makes it easy for programmers to create a variety of web APIs and web pages without making any changes to the code. At the same time, developers can further take advantage of a number of new features, such as improved routing, built-in dependency injection support, and the option to create controllers of any class.
A modular HTTP pipeline
The latest version is designed with a new, modular HTTP pipeline. The modular pipeline makes it easy for users to host their web applications on multiple web servers, including IIS and other Open Web Interface for .NET (OWIN) -based servers. They also have the option of choosing only the middleware that they need to run the application pipeline. Additionally, they can create custom middleware for the application, along with the availability of security, diagnostics, request routing, and the like provided by the new HTTP pipeline. The pipeline further simplifies the process of migrating your web application from one web server to another.
Roslyn Compilation
Today, programmers must make code changes at frequent intervals to improve the functionality and performance of the application. Therefore, they are looking for fast and efficient ways to verify and see the impact of changes made to the code. Some web frameworks require programmers to rebuild the project to verify the effect of changes made to the code. But ASP.NET 5 is designed with the Roslyn compiler. The compiler allows developers to check the effect of changes to the code without having to rebuild the entire project. Now they can save time by compiling the code dynamically and instantly.
Improved package manager
The newest version comes with a redesigned package manager that helps developers install, manage and update dependencies in an easier and more efficient way. Programmers now have the option of representing dependencies as packages. They can even use Nuget packages as a benchmark. The simple JSON object provided by ASP.NET helps users manage Nuget packages more efficiently. Additionally, they can take advantage of built-in support when creating and using these Nuget packages.
Modern programming language support
Often times, the popularity of a programming language and a web framework are interrelated. When using ASP.NET 5, programmers must write code in C #. But Microsoft has updated C # to compete with other mature, modern programming languages. The Roslyn compiler further helps developers take advantage of the new language features included in C # 6.0. You now have the option to take advantage of several new features included in C #, such as automatic property initializers, main constructor, call to the waiting keyword within catch blocks, and finally, exception filters and string interpolation. The latest version of C # also makes ASP.NET 5 score above other frameworks.
Updated Visual Studio
Modern ASP.NET 5 development professionals have the option of using a robust and advanced IDE such as Visual Studio 2015. Microsoft has updated Visual Studio with several new features to meet the requirements of modern web services and applications. The tools and editors provided by Visual Studio further help programmers to dramatically reduce development time. The latest version of Visual Studio helps programmers create client-side using popular frameworks like Gulp, Grunt, Bower, Bootstrap, AngularJS, and Knockout.js. They can now use the IDE to create responsive websites that provide a quality user experience on a wide variety of devices. Similarly, it becomes easier for users to group, minimize, and manage interface resources more effectively.
Overall, Microsoft has completely redesigned ASP.NET 5 to make it stand out from other frameworks. As an open source web framework, businesses can use it without incurring additional costs. At the same time, businesses can take advantage of its new features to deliver quality, modern web applications in a shorter period of time.