Razor Pages vs MVC Architectural Model in ASP.NET Core
💡 Concept Name
Razor Pages vs MVC Architectural Model
📘 Quick Intro
Razor Pages and MVC are two different architectural models in ASP.NET Core. Razor Pages follow a page-based routing model. MVC is a traditional separation of concerns via Controller, Model, and View layers.
🧠 Analogy / Short Story
Think of MVC like a factory — there's a separate unit for input (Controller), processing (Model), and output (View). Razor Pages, on the other hand, is like a one-man stall where a single person handles the request, logic, and UI from one place (page + PageModel).
🔧 Technical Explanation
MVC uses Controllers to handle logic and views for UI rendering. Each URL is mapped to a controller action. Razor Pages encapsulate logic and view into a single .cshtml file and associated PageModel. Razor Pages use folder-based routing while MVC uses attribute or convention-based routing.
🎯 Purpose & Use Case
- ✅ Razor Pages are ideal for simple forms and CRUD operations
- ✅ MVC is suitable for complex, large applications with reusable logic
- ✅ Razor Pages offer better organization for UI-focused pages
- ✅ MVC gives full control over routing, structure, and extensibility
- ✅ Razor Pages reduce ceremony for small modules
💻 Real Code Example
Razor Page (Index.cshtml):
public class IndexModel : PageModel
{
public string Message { get; set; }
public void OnGet()
{
Message = "Hello from Razor Page!";
}
}MVC Controller:
public class HomeController : Controller
{
public IActionResult Index()
{
ViewBag.Message = "Hello from MVC!";
return View();
}
}
❓ Interview Q&A
Q1: What is Razor Pages?
A: A page-based programming model introduced in ASP.NET Core 2.0.
Q2: What is MVC?
A: Model-View-Controller separates concerns across the application.
Q3: Which model supports cleaner routing for small apps?
A: Razor Pages.
Q4: Which model allows better separation of logic?
A: MVC.
Q5: Do Razor Pages use controllers?
A: No, they use PageModel classes instead.
Q6: Can you mix both models?
A: Yes, they can coexist in the same project.
Q7: Where is routing defined in Razor Pages?
A: It is based on the folder structure.
Q8: Which is better for large-scale enterprise apps?
A: MVC is usually preferred.
Q9: Can Razor Pages use data annotations for validation?
A: Yes, same as MVC.
Q10: Which model is better for beginners?
A: Razor Pages are easier to learn and use initially.
Q1: What does Razor Pages replace in the MVC pattern?
- A. View
- B. Model
- C. Controller and View
- D. Middleware
Q2: Where is routing defined in Razor Pages?
- A. RouteConfig.cs
- B. Folder/File structure
- C. Startup.cs only
- D. Controller attributes
💡 Bonus Insight
While MVC provides better layering for testability, Razor Pages promote rapid development with a clean UI-code pairing, especially beneficial for junior developers or single-developer teams.
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