Razor Pages in ASP.NET Core: A Detailed Guide

Discover how Razor Pages can simplify your web development experience with ASP.NET Core. Learn its benefits, architecture, and practical implementation in real-world scenarios.

Introduction to Razor Pages

Razor Pages is a powerful feature in ASP.NET Core that allows developers to create dynamic web pages with ease. It's a page-centric model that significantly simplifies the process of building web applications compared to traditional MVC (Model-View-Controller). Razor Pages is designed to be more straightforward by reducing the complexity often associated with MVC architecture.

In Razor Pages, each page consists of a Razor view (HTML + C#) and a code-behind file known as the PageModel (C# code). This structure promotes simplicity by binding the logic directly to the page, eliminating the need for a controller layer, making Razor Pages a great choice for smaller applications or scenarios where a simple structure is preferred.

Key Features of Razor Pages

Razor Pages comes with a set of features that makes it an attractive choice for ASP.NET Core developers:

• Simplified Page Model: Each Razor Page handles its own logic and UI directly, reducing the need for complex controllers and actions.
• Built-in Model Binding: Razor Pages automatically binds the data between the Razor views and the C# code, making it simpler to work with data in web applications.
• Less Boilerplate Code: The Razor Pages framework removes the need for defining a separate controller for every action, making it a lightweight approach to web development.
• Integrated Dependency Injection: Razor Pages integrates with ASP.NET Core's powerful dependency injection (DI) system, making it easy to manage services such as repositories and business logic classes.
• Strongly Typed Views: Razor Pages makes it easy to create strongly-typed views that are bound directly to the data model, ensuring a clean separation of concerns.
• Asynchronous Support: Razor Pages fully supports asynchronous programming, enabling non-blocking I/O operations for better performance in web applications.
• Built on Razor View Engine: Razor Pages use the Razor View Engine, allowing seamless integration of HTML and C# code in a way that is intuitive and clean.

Razor Pages Structure

The structure of a Razor Pages application consists of several components, each playing a role in the application lifecycle:

• Page (.cshtml): This is the Razor view file, which contains the markup (HTML) and Razor syntax that displays the UI.
• PageModel (.cshtml.cs): The PageModel is a C# file that contains the logic for handling HTTP requests (GET, POST, etc.) for the corresponding Razor Page. The PageModel typically manages form data, database calls, or other logic.
• Routing: Razor Pages automatically handles routing based on the file path, eliminating the need for explicit routing configurations as in MVC.

The following diagram illustrates Razor pages request handling:

Basic Example of Razor Pages Structure

Here’s an example of a basic Razor Page implementation:

<!-- Index.cshtml -->
@page
@model IndexModel

<h1>Welcome to Razor Pages!</h1>
<p>Hello, @Model.Name</p>

<!-- Index.cshtml.cs -->
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages;

namespace MyApp.Pages
{
    public class IndexModel : PageModel
    {
        public string Name { get; set; }

        public void OnGet()
        {
            Name = "Razor Pages User";
        }
    }
}
            

This simple example demonstrates how the Razor Page (Index.cshtml) and PageModel (Index.cshtml.cs) work together to render dynamic content on the page. The `OnGet()` method in the PageModel handles the GET request and assigns the value to the `Name` property, which is then displayed on the Razor view.

Creating a Razor Pages Application in ASP.NET Core

Let’s walk through the steps to set up a basic Razor Pages application in ASP.NET Core:

Step 1: Create a New Project

1. Open Visual Studio and click on Create a new project.
2. Select the ASP.NET Core Web Application template and click Next.
3. Enter the project name and location, and click Create.
4. In the next window, select Web Application (Model-View-Controller) and ensure .NET Core is selected as the framework. Finally, click Create.

Step 2: Add a Razor Page

In the Pages folder, right-click and select Add -> New Item.... Then choose the Razor Page template. Name the page and click Add.

Step 3: Add Logic to the Page Model

Open the generated `.cshtml.cs` file, where you can add your logic. For example, adding data to be displayed on the page:

public class IndexModel : PageModel
{
    public string WelcomeMessage { get; set; }

    public void OnGet()
    {
        WelcomeMessage = "Welcome to Razor Pages in ASP.NET Core!";
    }
}
            

Step 4: Run Your Application

After setting up the Razor Pages and logic, run your application by pressing Ctrl+F5. The page should render and display the content that you have bound in the PageModel.

Razor Pages vs MVC

Many developers wonder whether to choose Razor Pages or MVC for their web application. Both approaches are part of ASP.NET Core, but they differ significantly in their architecture.

Razor Pages

• Page-centric approach.
• Ideal for simple, form-based applications or pages.
• Reduced boilerplate code.
• PageModel directly binds to data.

MVC

• Controller-action model.
• Better suited for larger applications with complex logic.
• Requires explicit routing and controllers.
• Supports RESTful API design with routing based on URLs.

In general, Razor Pages is a better choice for smaller or medium-sized applications, while MVC shines in more complex, large-scale applications.

Best Practices for Razor Pages

• Separation of Concerns: Keep business logic in the PageModel and avoid placing it directly in the Razor page.
• Use Dependency Injection: Take full advantage of ASP.NET Core's dependency injection system for services and repositories.
• Asynchronous Programming: Use async methods in Razor Pages to improve performance by handling long-running operations efficiently.
• Use Partial Views: For reusable components, use partial views to keep the page clean and avoid code duplication.

© 2025 Sandeep Mhaske. All rights reserved.