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Razor Pages vs MVC vs Blazor: How to Choose the Right ASP.NET Core Web Framework for Your Project

Published on April 11

๐Ÿ” Razor Pages vs MVC vs Blazor: How to Choose the Right ASP.NET Core Web Framework for Your Project

As a .NET developer, you're spoiled for choice when it comes to building modern web applications. The ASP.NET Core ecosystem offers Razor Pages, MVC, and Blazor โ€” all excellent options, but each with its own sweet spot.

So how do you choose?

This post will break down:

  • What each framework is
  • Pros and cons
  • When to use each one (with real-world scenarios)
  • Decision matrix to help you choose confidently

๐Ÿงญ Quick Overview

Framework UI Style Hosting Model Ideal For Razor Pages Server-rendered ASP.NET Core backend Simpler apps, forms, admin UIs MVC Server-rendered ASP.NET Core backend Complex, layered web apps Blazor Interactive SPA WebAssembly or Server Rich UIs, SPA-like experiences

๐Ÿ“˜ 1. Razor Pages: Simple, Page-Based Web Apps

What is it? Razor Pages is a page-focused programming model for building web UI. Each page is self-contained and handles its own routing, logic, and markup.

Folder Example:

/Pages
  โ””โ”€โ”€ Index.cshtml
  โ””โ”€โ”€ Contact.cshtml

โœ… Pros

  • Clean, minimal boilerplate
  • Great for simple apps and CRUD
  • Tight integration with Razor syntax
  • Easier learning curve than MVC

โŒ Cons

  • Less control over advanced patterns
  • Not ideal for large-scale apps

๐Ÿ›  Best Use Cases

  • Internal tools and admin panels
  • Forms-based websites
  • Apps with a clear "page-by-page" flow

๐Ÿ’ก Code Example

// Pages/Contact.cshtml.cs
public class ContactModel : PageModel
{
    [BindProperty]
    public string Message { get; set; }

    public void OnPost()
    {
        // Process form submission
    }
}

๐Ÿ— 2. ASP.NET Core MVC: Mature, Scalable Web Architecture

What is it? MVC (Model-View-Controller) is a battle-tested architectural pattern. It separates concerns into three layers, ideal for larger apps where maintainability is key.

โœ… Pros

  • Excellent for complex applications
  • Great separation of concerns
  • Mature ecosystem with many extensions
  • Clear routing and RESTful conventions

โŒ Cons

  • More boilerplate than Razor Pages
  • Slightly steeper learning curve

๐Ÿ›  Best Use Cases

  • E-commerce platforms
  • Content-driven websites (blogs, news sites)
  • REST API + HTML combo apps

๐Ÿ’ก Code Example

// Controllers/HomeController.cs
public class HomeController : Controller
{
    public IActionResult Index()
    {
        return View();
    }
}

// Views/Home/Index.cshtml
<h1>Welcome to MVC!</h1>

๐Ÿงช 3. Blazor: Modern, Component-Based Web UI (SPA)

What is it? Blazor lets you build rich, interactive web UIs using C# instead of JavaScript. You can choose between Blazor Server and Blazor WebAssembly (WASM) hosting models.

โœ… Pros

  • Full-stack C# (no JS required)
  • Component-based, like React/Vue
  • Real-time UI updates with SignalR (Server model)
  • Great for modern, SPA-style apps

โŒ Cons

  • WASM payloads can be large
  • SEO can be tricky
  • Steeper learning curve for Razor components
  • Server model may not scale as well under heavy traffic

๐Ÿ›  Best Use Cases

  • Internal dashboards with live updates
  • SaaS apps with rich client-side interactions
  • Desktop-like web apps

๐Ÿ’ก Code Example

<!-- Counter.razor -->
<h3>Counter</h3>

<p>Current count: @count</p>

<button @onclick="IncrementCount">Click me</button>

@code {
    private int count = 0;
    void IncrementCount() => count++;
}

โš–๏ธ When to Choose What? (Decision Matrix)

Question Go With Razor Pages Go With MVC Go With Blazor Is the app simple or form-based? โœ… โŒ โŒ Are you building a large or layered app? โŒ โœ… โœ… Do you want SPA-like interactivity? โŒ โŒ โœ… Do you want server-side rendering & SEO? โœ… โœ… โŒ (WASM) Do you want to write UI in C# only? โŒ โŒ โœ… Is developer onboarding speed important? โœ… โŒ โŒ Is JavaScript integration a priority? โŒ โœ… โœ… (JS interop)

๐Ÿง  Final Thoughts

If you're building... Use... An internal admin panel or CRUD app Razor Pages A content-heavy or layered web app MVC A rich, desktop-like web UI Blazor (WASM or Server) And remember โ€” these aren't exclusive choices. You can mix Blazor components into Razor Pages or MVC apps for hybrid experiences!



๐Ÿ“š Want to Dive Deeper?


If you want a follow-up post comparing Blazor Server vs WASM, or a deep-dive into Blazor hybrid apps, let me know!