I am trying to migrate a project from classic ASP.Net Web Forms to ASP.NET MVC.
While I have read through http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/38778/ASP-NET-WebForms-and-ASP-NET-MVC-in-Harmony. I have a basic idea on how the code structure, libraries and routing should be done.
For your information, the scope of my existing project is around 400 pages and 300 tables.
On top of my head I have two approaches:
Start from stretch, rewriting the whole system - Obviously this would require intensive work and take a long time. Any change made on existing system would need a duplicate change made to the new system.
Migrate the page one each - I still have a rebuild the entire core library (for accessing db), and get the page migrated one by one. For this I would assume to have two core libraries (new and old) running simultaneously with different pages connect to one of those.
Would anyone have similar experience and advise a proper way to start?
For this complete revamp I may also target at the latest technology - .NET Core and MVC6, by taking these would I have extra advantage, or some blockages I would have to take care of?
Any suggestion and opinions are appreciated. Cheers.
Microsoft is a bit hush hush on the subject but the WebForms engine is probably never going to make its way to ASP.NET Core. One might think that MS is waiting to see if the community is calling for a port, but I think they're trying to kill it discretely (not like Silverlight).
Why? Because it proved to be a bad good idea on the long run, easy to use at first, but extremely complex to master (because of viewstate and page lifecycle), with a tendency to allow average developers to build very tedious application (in french we say steam factories). Also it was very poorly adapted to modern web development (Ajax, unit testing, IoC). They tried to fix it with a couple of tweaks, but the overall architecture is just not adapted to this kind of things. MVC is a treat in comparison!
To answer your question, it's not really possible to migrate WebForms to MVC, because those are quite different architectures, and of course the architecture is what an application sits on top on, so if you change it, you might as well rewrite it from scratch.
What can help you a lot is if your app is divided in tiers (business, data access, UI). If it's not the case, you could start by doing this, properly separating the UI project from the rest. Then you would just have to rewrite the ASP.NET project and not the rest.
There are some useful resources I'd like to share with the StackOverflow community just in case you are having troubles to decide what to do:
modernization of your existing Web Forms app
migration to MVC or Core
or whether to start a new project on Web Forms, MVC and Core.
Here you go:
https://www.telerik.com/blogs/review-of-telerik-toolsets-for-aspnet-web-forms-core
Modernizing ASP.NET Web Forms Applications by Tomáš Herceg (Microsoft MVP ) - https://tomasherceg.com/blog/post/modernizing-asp-net-web-forms-applications-part-1
Migrating Old ASP.NET Applications to .NET Core by Edi Wang (Microsoft MVP) - https://edi.wang/post/2018/10/31/migrating-old-aspnet-applications-to-net-core
Choose between ASP.NET and ASP.NET Core (Microsoft docs) - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/fundamentals/choose-aspnet-framework?view=aspnetcore-3.1
Migrate from ASP.NET to ASP.NET Core (Microsoft docs) - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/migration/proper-to-2x/?view=aspnetcore-3.1
i have come across below links
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZuqMrWSano
https://www.dotvvm.com/blog/59/Modernizing-ASP-NET-Web-Forms-applications-with-DotVVM
DotVVM package helps us to migrate ASP.Net Web Forms migration to ASP.NET Core without re-writting completely.
i have not tried any production application. still have tried some sample pages. you can try this out.
I can agree that for many cases a re-write of an ASP.NET application where WebForms is used widely may do not provide any business value.
Therefore we decided to use our experience with ASP NET WebForms to develop a highly compatible port of WebForms for ASP NET Core / .NET 6.0.
We use the solution in our own ASP NET WebForms-based products and projects as well as a licensable component library.
So the Forms can still be used and you can focus on the .NET CORE/6 migration.
Related
Hello I have built an application using asp.net MVC, this project is all working well but I am finding a lot of documentation with Stripe has documentation depreciated, however, the documentation is fine for asp.net core
Is it a massive change between the two types, why doesn't it seem to work with my one. I am new to all of this but it doesn't really make a lot of sense to me so please explain in lamens terms and link some articles if it would help :)
I understand your confusion :D I've worked with ASP.NET for very long (since web forms). I'll try to explain to the best of my understanding.
MVC is a design pattern that has seen a lot of success and has been adapted widely by several frameworks. ASP.NET MVC is the dot net implementation of the MCV pattern.
ASP.NET Core is a redesign of ASP.NET with a lot of new features and benefits. The biggest advertised differences is the fact that DOT NET CORE is open source and cross platform.
In an asp.net core web application you will still see the MVC pattern with several improvements since ASP.NET MVC.
If your project works perfectly you don't have to do a complete redesign. The frameworks will keep updating and as developers we need to stay updated but we can't go and redesign every project. New projects are a different story. If you start something new definitely consider using ASP.NET Core.
Here is one of Microsoft's docs that helps understand the difference.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/fundamentals/choose-aspnet-framework?view=aspnetcore-3.1
If you split your application into different projects for the front-end stuff, business logic, and data access, it shouldn't be too painful to port it over. The business and data access code should mostly work the same way. it's just the bit of MVC presentation stuff that will be markedly different.
OrchardCMS, Umbraco and DotNetNuke are CMSes in .Net galaxy. They work as stand alone applications well. Suppose I have a requirement that need CMS features in an another ASP.NET MVC application. I do not like to implement CMS again in the application. Rather I like to use current CMSes as a component of application.
Is it possible at all to use for example OrhcardCMS as a component of my MVC application? It is ideal to have relations between CMS and application itself, for example I can load entities from CMS, update them etc.
I know there are integration techniques in .Net. For example ASP.NET Identity integrates with ASP.NET applications in core level, but view (CSHTMLs) must be copied and customized in most cases. Or Hangfire and ELMAH that integrates with an application without need to copy view (cshtml, html, css) to the target application. Indeed it is good to know that integration methods are available regarding plugging CMSes into ASP.NET applications.
I can tell you more about Umbraco as I don't know other CMS as much as this one. There is a whole course / training for those who want to integrate their apps with Umbraco: https://umbraco.com/products-and-support/training/umbraco-application-integration/. So yes, it's possible and it's even suggested way from my perspective to use already done piece of software rather than building the wheel once again.
Umbraco is an ASP.NET MVC application. You can use Umbraco components, backoffice, membership and everything else CMSish delivered out of box and still you're able to write and use your business logic, controllers and everything else what you've created inside your ASP.NET MVC / C# app. Still, it's an ASP.NET app, so you can use anything what you want from the .NET world. We're using ELMAH.io for example to take care of logging and keeping the errors in the cloud. We're also using a ton of 3rd party, both open-source and commercial tools and softwares to do multiple things around our web components. Umbraco is not blocking us from using them or anything else. I like to consider Umbraco as a framework or library helping us to deal with content editing and giving us a massive number of opportunities to offer for our clients or editors.
Speaking for OrchardCMS, there are some questions touching this subject already, see
Reusing Orchard's Core to build another extensibility framework
Extracting a Module from Orchard
If it's possible for you then try to setup Orchard as the base system and move your MVC application in a module. This will be much easier than trying to cut out peaces of Orchard. In return you get amazing possibilites when running Orchard as the underlying framework, e.g. Localization, Modules, Themes, the whole user / role management etc.
OrchardCMS 2 is currently developed towards single components that can be reused in any application but it's far from finished yet.
I have been doing windows applications using c#.
But recently our management has planned to make some of the projects to be web based.
We thought of using asp.net with c#.
Can anybody guide me on effectively learning asp.net.
pls provide some useful links for sample projects.
Thanks in advance.
Web Forms would be a quicker route if your used to desktop development (over microsoft MVC). MVC3 is my preference but takes a bit longer to get used to if your not familiar with it. MVC3 gives you more control over your code and in my oppinion is less bloated.
May be worth looking into the MVC pattern if you go down this route.
Loads of videos to get you started here: http://www.asp.net/web-forms
They have a couple of example applications you can work through:
Web Forms: Contoso University App
MVC: MVC3 Starter App
as simple as this: http://www.asp.net
I'd recommend to start with ASP.Net MVC even you'll find it a bit complex in the beginning , Here you can find a lot of tutorials and books
you can also take a look at the MVC Music Store , it is a complete project to learn ASP.Net MVC by example.
I would steer clear of WebForms - even though it may seem a more natural fit coming from your WinForms background, you will run into issues later on. Given that you're going to have to learn a new platform anyway, makes sense to learn MVC and get off on the right foot (note that there are alternative MVC frameworks to ASP.NET MVC such as Fubu but these are probably riskier options in your situation).
PluralSight do some good online training courses, though you do need to pay for them.
I am starting a new project in VB /.Net Framework 2.0 for a company corporate website with data driven forms. So should I go further with Asp.net MVC or Asp.Net web forms and WHY ??? We are not ready for Ajax now but later.
And also we have DevExpress components.
Actually I see ASP.NET MVC as next generation in that it is an evolution - trying to be a better programming environment, as software development for web apps asks for something more testable.
It is a huge beast. Decide based on features whether you need it. MVC has less documentation and is a lot harder to master thanks to a less RAD approach, but it seems that once you are in, it will be quite a better experience. If you have a web application (like stackoverflow.com) then it may be a good approach.
DevExpress components - have fun... throwing them away. Like most ASP.NET components they will not work or only work very partially. Totally different approach.e
ASP.Net MVC is not "next generation" ASP.Net. It's an alternative approach to design that can be more beneficial depending on the kind of project you're working with. Without more information about the particular type of project you're working on no one can give you any informed recommendations.
I am wanting to learn ASP.Net and am just a beginner. I have done some windows c# forms development before but have no experience of web development.
I have looked at the ASP.net website but beyond this, does anyone have any ideas as to good learning resources particulary in relation to the differences to windows development. For instance, It seems that the way events work is quite different under ASP to windows forms.
Thanks you all.
Thank you very much. I will have a look at MVC. It looks even more complicated but if this is the way things are going then I would be better maybe to invest my learning in this.
I would advise you at this stage in ASP.NETs life to instead direct your attention at ASP.NET-MVC. This url http://www.asp.net/mvc/ is a very good resource for learning.
ASP.NET Forms do a good job of hiding the nature of a connection-less HTTP/browser based technology and presenting a familiar Form with controls and lots of useful events environment that Windows Forms developers are used to.
However this approach comes with a price. For any serious project there is no avoiding getting under the hood of ASP.NET forms and properly understanding the underlying technology. At this point you start to realise the significant compromises the ASP.NET Forms has had to make in order to make Windows Forms developers feel at home.
ASP.NET-MVC, on the other, makes no such compromises. Learning MVC means learning how HTTP works up-front. It also has the advantage of being a much more test friendly approach which when used properly will save you days of debugging.
ASP.NET website - seriously, it's a really good resource.
I'd seriously consider starting with ASP.NET MVC. You'll end up learning what you need from ASP.NET "classic" but you'll pick up all the goodness of MVC (testability, seperation of concerns in your code etc) instead of learning bad habits.
Google for "ASP.NET MVC", check out ScottGu's blog, Scott Hanselmans's blog, or search StackOverflow for ASP.NET MVC (use the ASP.NET MVC tag too).
One good place to start...
http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2009/04/01/asp-net-mvc-1-0.aspx
I know they are a bit out of date, but I still think the two Fritz Onion books give a great look at what's happening in ASP.NET under the hood.
Some resources:
asp.net (as you mentioned)
channel9
scott hanselman's blog (some useful entries)
Windows Client Homepage
W3Schools Tutorials (Useful for more than just .NET, but this is the .NET page)
I've been a .NET Windows Forms (not Web forms) developer for 1 and a half years. Then I switched jobs and started using WebForms for like... 2 years. Then I discovered ASP.NET MVC (January 2008) and since then although I still master ASP.NET WebForms I will always prefer ASP.NET MVC.
My recommendation also goes into ASP.NET MVC. You will have to learn HTTP, HTML and a bit of Javascript but after these you will master web development on ALL PLATFORMS.
A great alternative to ASP.NET MVC is ASP.NET Web Pages with Razor syntax. In fact, the latest release of ASP.NET MVC and the latest release of ASP.NET Web Pages both use the same view engine.
Here is a link to the complete ASP.NET Web Pages book:
Getting Started with WebMatrix and ASP.NET Web Pages
Also, here is the complete WebMatrix Content Guide:
WebMatrix Content Guide
Here's the description:
WebMatrix is a free, lightweight set of web development tools that provides the easiest way to build websites. It includes IIS Express (a development web server), ASP.NET (a web framework), and SQL Server Compact (an embedded database). It also includes a simple tool that streamlines website development and makes it easy to start websites from popular open source apps. The skills and code you develop with WebMatrix transition seamlessly to Visual Studio and SQL Server.