Is MVC used in ASP.NET Core Razor Pages?

ASP.NET Core Razor Pages is a distinct programming model within ASP.NET Core, primarily designed for building web applications with a page-focused approach. However, it is built on top of the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture and shares many concepts and components with it. Here's how Razor Pages relates to MVC:

Key Relationships Between Razor Pages and MVC

MVC Framework Foundation:

• Razor Pages is built on the foundation of the MVC framework. It uses many underlying features of MVC, such as routing, model binding, and dependency injection.
• Each Razor Page can be thought of as a specialized controller that directly handles the request and response for that page.

Model-View Separation: Similar to MVC, Razor Pages maintains a separation of concerns:

1. Model: Represents the data and business logic, typically in the form of PageModel classes.
2. View: The Razor view (.cshtml files) is responsible for rendering the UI and interacting with the user.
3. Controller Logic: In Razor Pages, the controller logic is encapsulated within the PageModel class, where you define methods like OnGet() and OnPost().
4. Routing: Razor Pages use the same routing mechanisms as MVC, allowing for clean and organized URL patterns. The routing system maps URLs to the corresponding Razor Page files based on their folder structure and naming conventions.
5. Model Binding and Validation: Just like in MVC, Razor Pages supports model binding to bind incoming request data (like form submissions) to properties in the PageModel. It also provides model validation capabilities to ensure user input meets certain criteria.
6. Dependency Injection: Razor Pages benefit from the built-in dependency injection system in ASP.NET Core, allowing you to inject services directly into your PageModel classes, similar to how you would in an MVC controller.
7. Views and Partial Views: Razor Pages can use Razor views, partial views, and view components, just like MVC applications, allowing for reusable UI components.

Differences from MVC: While Razor Pages shares many components with MVC, there are some key differences:

1. Page-Centric: Razor Pages focuses on a page-centric development model. Each Razor Page corresponds to a specific URL and encapsulates the logic needed for that page, whereas MVC applications typically have multiple controllers handling various requests.
2. Simplified Development: Razor Pages aims to simplify the development process for scenarios that are primarily page-driven, reducing the complexity of managing multiple controllers and actions.
3. File Structure: Razor Pages has a specific file structure that places .cshtml files and their associated PageModel classes in the same folder, promoting a close relationship between the page and its logic.

Conclusion

In summary, while Razor Pages is not MVC in the traditional sense, it is built upon the MVC architecture and shares many of its principles and components. It offers a simpler and more focused way to build web applications that are primarily page-based, making it an excellent choice for many scenarios within the ASP.NET Core ecosystem.

Related links:

PageModel class

Directives in Razor Pages