ASP.NET MVC vs Webform: Difference and Comparison

ASP.NET MVC and Web Forms are two widely recognized platforms for web development. Both ASP.NET MVC and Web forms are frameworks provided by Microsoft, introduced as free/ subscribed and open-source for building web apps and services with .NET and C#.

Through this, several people have had the chance to develop web apps by using their tools, programming languages, and libraries efficiently. 

Key Takeaways

1. ASP.NET MVC follows the Model-View-Controller design pattern, which separates concerns and enables better testability, while Web Forms follow an event-driven model.
2. ASP.NET MVC offers more control over HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, while Web Forms rely on server controls and automatic state management.
3. ASP.NET MVC is suitable for developing large, scalable applications, while Web Forms are more appropriate for small-to-medium-sized projects.

ASP.NET MVC vs Web forms

The difference between ASP.NET MVC and Web forms is that ASP.NET MVC doesn’t have any code-related function behind its programming page, where a view can be called multiple times. However, a Web form is based on the function and code behind each page, which requires the coding of that class to view that certain page. 

ASP.NET MVC is a web development application developed by Microsoft, following the Model-View-Controller pattern.

Moreover, Microsoft, Ancestry.com, and GoDaddy are a few sites that use ASP.NET MVC. The use of HTML is what makes ASP.NET MVC the best for developing many innovative and interactive web applications. 

The web form is also one of the Microsoft-supported ASP.NET applications used as a web application framework. Webform formally uses the programming language for its function.

It is based wholly on codes, where one gets to view the page only if they have written the code for its class. Web forms have been in use for over two decades. 

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	ASP.NET MVC	Web form
Weight	Due to no requirement of coding, the pages under ASP.NET MVC, a model-view-controller pattern-based model, are lightweight.	Meanwhile, the ASP.NET Webform, a traditional event-driven development model,  needs a lot of coding to view its page. Therefore the weight of web form pages is quite heavier than the former’s.
Performance	The use of HTML makes ASP.NET MVC the best for developing many innovative and interactive web applications.	Web form has built-in data server controls and due to its rapid development, it is used for fast processing programs.
Separation of concerns	ASP.NET MVC uses SoC for web, Model, View, and Controller purposes. Thereby it is of best use for handling business logic.	Meanwhile, the SoC in the web form is not much more effective than in ASP.NET MVC, as the latter handles it for better use.
Design	Due to the implementation of HTML (markup language) over server controls, ASP.NET MVC gives developers a great idea in developing web applications, by making use of the latest features.  Plus, the variation of design time and running time is quite remarkable.	However, Web form has been using server controls for designing purposes, which thereby requires a lot of time and guidance.
Quality of URLs	The SEO-friendly URLs of ASP.NET MVC are route-based and depend on the controller.	In the same way, the quality of URLs developed by web forms is too SEO-friendly and file-based, which physically exists.

What is ASP.NET MVC?

ASP.NET MVC is a web development application developed by the company Microsoft, based on the model Model-View-Controller pattern.

It allows developers to design web applications based on three components; Model, View, and Controller.

The model predominately supports the business layer, the view is for the display layer, and the controller is for input control. 

The model represents the particular aspect of the application, whereas the controller handles interactions and updates the model for changes, and finally, passes the information to the view.

To put it in simple words, this ASP.NET MVC software has been used to operate on the basis of user interface (view), data (model), and application logic (controller). 

It is an open-source application and has been available since 2018.  However, as of now, it is no longer an active development software.

But still, there are a few sites that use ASP.NET MVC for their web development, such as Microsoft, Ancestry.com, and GoDaddy.

One of the best features of ASP.NET MVC is the use of HTML, a markup language that assists developers in creating interactive web applications with the additional help of the latest web standards. 

Plus, the pages are lightweight and known for having less running time and design time. 

What is Web form?

A web form is also a part of the Microsoft-supported ASP.NET applications, which is widely used as a web application framework.

Meanwhile, the ASP.NET web form is a model based on traditional event-driven development,  which needs a lot of coding and controls to view its page.

Web form formally uses the programming language for its function.

Also, there is no restriction, as it can run the application on any programming language, moreover supports common language runtime like #C and.NET. 

It is based on codes and server controls, where one gets to view the page only if they have written the code or commanded for its class.

Web forms have been in use for over two decades. Due to their in-built data controls, their rapidity in development is the best of the best.

However, Webform is not open-source, as it buttresses the view state for state management at the client site, which requires a subscription.

The script-based technologies that compile server codes with one or more to develop a web application is one of the fine features of Webform rendered by Microsoft. 

Main Differences Between ASP.NET MVC and Webform

1. ASP.NET MVC is a pattern based on Model-View-Controller that uses server controls and codes to develop certain web applications. Webforms use the model of traditional event-driven development for designing web applications.
2. ASP.NET MVC is carried out with the help of HTML, whereas Webforms have server controls. 
3. The view state is supported in Webforms, while not in ASP.NET MVC, for state management at the client site. 
4. The SEO-friendly URLs in ASP.NET MVC are route-based, whereas file-based in Webforms. 
5. APS.NET MVC is open source, while Webform is not. 
6. ASP.NET MVC follows customizable syntax, contrary to Webforms, as it uses its own syntax.
7.  Views and codes are coupled tightly in webforms, although codes and views are kept separately.

References

1. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4302-6542-9_1
2. https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/2468356.2468688