Welcome back, Razor Pages fan. Today, we’re looking ahead at where htmx and ASP.NET Core are heading in the grand scheme of web development. Spoiler alert: Server-driven apps are making a comeback, and htmx is leading the charge.
The Growing Adoption of htmx
In a world dominated by front-end frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue, it’s refreshing to see a library like htmx making waves. Why? Not every app needs a full-blown SPA (Single Page Application). In fact, most apps are better off being server-driven with sprinkles of interactivity.
Why Developers Are Embracing htmx
- Simplicity: No complicated build pipelines. Just drop in a
<script>tag and you’re good to go. - Server-Driven Architecture: Developers can focus on their back-end logic without being forced to learn complex front-end frameworks.
- Performance: You’re sending minimal HTML fragments instead of bloated JSON responses.
Proof in Numbers
The htmx community has been growing steadily. More and more developers are using it to simplify their web apps, enhance legacy applications, and avoid JavaScript fatigue. And ASP.NET Core developers? They’re jumping on the bandwagon fast.
How ASP.NET Core Developers Can Benefit
htmx and ASP.NET Core are a match made in heaven. Why? Because htmx works best when paired with a powerful, server-side framework. And ASP.NET Core, with its high performance and built-in tools, makes for a killer combo.
Example: Dynamic Content Loading Without JavaScript Frameworks
Let’s say you want to build a real-time dashboard. Instead of setting up SignalR or a heavy SPA framework, you can use htmx’s polling feature.
Dashboard.cshtml
@page
@model DashboardModel
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Live Dashboard</title>
<script src="https://unpkg.com/htmx.org"></script>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Server-Driven Dashboard</h1>
<div id="stats" hx-get="/UpdateStats" hx-trigger="every 5s" hx-target="#stats">
Loading stats...
</div>
</body>
</html>
Dashboard.cshtml.cs
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.RazorPages;
using System;
namespace YourNamespace.Pages;
public class DashboardModel : PageModel
{
public IActionResult OnGetUpdateStats()
{
var stats = $"<p>Server Time: {DateTime.Now:HH:mm:ss}</p>";
return Content(stats, "text/html");
}
}
Why This Is So Good
- No JavaScript Frameworks: You didn’t have to reach for React, Vue, or Angular.
- Pure Razor Pages: Your existing ASP.NET Core knowledge is all you need.
- Automatic Updates: htmx’s
hx-trigger="every 5s"makes real-time updates dead simple.
Predictions for Server-Side Rendered Applications
So, where are we heading with all this? Is htmx the future of web development or just a cool tool for specific use cases?
The Rise of Hybrid Apps
It’s not about “killing SPAs” or “destroying JavaScript frameworks.” Instead, it’s about finding the right balance. And here’s what I see happening:
- Server-Driven Rendering Will Continue to Grow: More developers will realize they don’t need a full SPA for most apps.
- htmx Will Gain Popularity: As developers discover its simplicity and power, htmx will become a go-to tool for building interactive server-rendered apps.
- Hybrid Architectures Will Dominate: Developers will mix htmx with client-side frameworks when necessary, rather than making everything a client-rendered SPA.
What About ASP.NET Core?
ASP.NET Core is already one of the best server-side frameworks. Tools like htmx make it even better by allowing developers to build interactive apps without the complexity of modern JavaScript frameworks.
- Razor Pages will remain relevant for building fast, server-driven apps.
- Blazor will continue to evolve, but htmx will attract developers who prefer server-side rendering without the WebAssembly overhead.
The Bottom Line
The future of web development isn’t about killing SPAs or replacing frameworks. It’s about using the right tool for the job. And for many ASP.NET Core developers, htmx is proving to be that tool.
This is the last post on the topic of htmx and ASP.NET. Tomorrow will be something new, so stay with me on my daily blog post for my 2025 goal.