Back to the Past: How htmx is Reviving Server-Driven Web Development

Hey folks! Welcome back to the htmx journey. Today, we’re diving into a bit of web development history and how htmx is taking us forward… by looking backward. Cue the DeLorean because we’re heading back to the days when server-driven development was all the rage.

The Evolution of Web Technologies

Once upon a time, websites were just plain HTML, served straight from a server to your browser. And guess what? It worked! Sure, it was primarily static, but it was simple, effective, and didn’t require a degree in JavaScript wizardry.

Then came the rise of JavaScript frameworks—Angular, React, Vue—all promising rich client-side interactivity. They brought us SPAs (Single-Page Applications), where the server’s only job was to throw data over the fence and say, “Good luck!”

But here’s the thing:

  • Client-side frameworks introduced complexity.
  • They made simple things complicated.
  • They demanded build tools, module bundlers, transpilers—a whole toolbox just to get a web app running.

Why We’re Coming Back to Server-Driven Development

After years of struggling with massive client-side apps and their ever-growing complexity, developers are starting to say, “Wait a minute… Wasn’t it easier when the server did most of the work?”

The truth is, for many web apps, you don’t need a full SPA framework. Instead, you can get 80% of the benefits with just a sprinkling of htmx.

Here’s why developers are flocking back to server-driven setups:

  • Better Performance: HTML over the wire is surprisingly fast.
  • Simplicity: You don’t have to wrestle with state management libraries and build tools.
  • SEO Friendly: Since most rendering happens on the server, search engines don’t need fancy tricks to read your content.

Enter htmx: Your New Best Friend

So how does htmx make server-driven development cool again? You can add interactivity to your ASP.NET Razor Pages without a ton of JavaScript. Think of htmx as the bridge between simple server-rendered pages and the dynamic web experiences users love.

Here’s a fun little example:

Let’s say we want to add some interactivity to a basic ASP.NET Razor Page.

Index.cshtml

@page
@model IndexModel

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>htmx History Example</title>
    <script src="https://unpkg.com/htmx.org"></script>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Welcome Back to Server-Driven Development!</h1>
    <div id="time-area">
        <button hx-get="/Index?handler=GetTime" hx-target="#time-area">What's the time?</button>
    </div>
</body>
</html>

Index.cshtml.cs

using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages;
using System;

namespace YourNamespace.Pages;

public class IndexModel : PageModel
{
    public IActionResult OnGetGetTime()
    {
        var currentTimeHtml = $"<p>Current Time: {DateTime.Now:HH:mm:ss}</p>";
        return Content(currentTimeHtml, "text/html");
    }
}

What’s Happening Here?

  • The button is making a request to the server (hx-get="/GetTime") and loading the response right into the #time-area div.
  • No need for writing JavaScript or handling the AJAX call manually. htmx does the heavy lifting for you.
  • It’s simple, clean, and easy to understand.

How htmx Simplifies Frontend Development

Unlike traditional frameworks that require complex client-side state management and rendering logic, htmx lets you keep your C# Razor Pages as the brains of your app. The front end just handles displaying the HTML the server sends back.

htmx brings back the simplicity of server-side rendering while allowing you to sprinkle interactivity where it’s needed. No fancy build tools. No massive dependency trees. Just straightforward, developer-friendly code.

Why This Matters for ASP.NET Developers

If you’re building apps with Razor Pages, htmx is a perfect match. It’s like adding dynamic functionality to your pages without turning your app into a complicated beast. And the best part? Your existing skills with C# and Razor Pages are all you need.

Stay tuned for the next post where we’ll build something even cooler with htmx. And as always, happy coding!

If you want to read more about htmx and ASP.NET Razor Pages, I have an online book with deeper examples and information.

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