Microsoft ASP.NET Razor View Engine
Razor is an ASP.NET programming syntax used to create dynamic Web pages with the C# or Visual Basic programming languages. Razor was in development in June of 2010[1] and was released for Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 in January of 2011 [2]. Razor is a simple-syntax view engine and was released as part of ASP.NET Model View Controller (MVC) 3 and the WebMatrix tool set[2].
The Razor syntax is a template markup syntax that enables the programmer to use an HTML construction workflow and is based on the C# programming language. Instead of using the ASP.NET .ASPX markup syntax using <%= %> blocks to indicate code blocks the Razor syntax starts of a code block with Razor using a @ character and does not require explicit closing the code-block.
Advantages of Razor
- Compact, Expressive, and Fluid
- Easy to Learn
- Is not a new language
- Supports Intellisense
- Unit Testable
Criticism
Using the Razor syntax could be awkward for programmers used to prior markup syntax and although it does cause complex views to be more readable there is minimum editing advantage for smaller views. The current ASP.NET MVC 3 does not yet support syntax highlight for Razor views[4].