The .NET platform, powered by C#, has long been one of the most robust and versatile stacks for building server-side applications. Much like Java, .NET has established itself as a reliable framework, with both platforms influencing each other throughout their history. In this article, we’ll explore building a simple server-side web application using C# and integrate HTMX to add dynamic front-end interactivity without relying on traditional JavaScript. This approach offers a clean and efficient way to build modern web apps while leveraging the powerful features of .NET and C#.
To begin, you’ll need to have the .NET CLI tool installed on your system, which is a straightforward process. If you’re familiar with Java development, you might notice some similarities, such as the use of shorthand get; and set; to automatically generate getter and setter methods for class properties. This syntax simplifies code and makes it more readable, especially for developers coming from other object-oriented languages like Java.
In .NET, the concept of namespaces plays a similar role to Java’s packages, providing a way to organize code. However, while Java typically uses lowercase names for packages, C# tends to follow a different convention. That said, the directory structure and namespace organization in a C# project often align with one another, though this is not a strict requirement. This flexibility allows developers to choose their preferred structure while maintaining a clear and logical organization of code.
For this project, we’ll create a repository class to handle data persistence for the quotes submitted by users. While in a production scenario, this repository would typically interface with a database, for simplicity, we’ll simulate this functionality within the application. This class will allow us to store and retrieve user-submitted quotes, serving as a foundational component for our server-side application. By utilizing C# and .NET’s powerful features, we can quickly build a scalable and maintainable web app with minimal effort.