Blazor is a revolutionary web framework introduced by Microsoft that allows developers to build interactive and dynamic web applications using C# instead of JavaScript. By leveraging WebAssembly and server-side rendering, Blazor provides a full-stack development experience in a single programming language, making it a natural evolution of the traditional Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern.
Unlike MVC, which separates concerns between the server and client using different technologies, Blazor unifies the development stack by enabling C# to be used both for server-side logic and client-side interactivity. This shift not only simplifies the development process but also enhances the maintainability, performance, and scalability of modern web applications.
In this article, I will discuss the evolution of Blazor and its revolutionary impact on .NET development.
.NET Core 3.0 — Introducing Blazor (Sept 2019)
.NET Core 3.0 was a major milestone for me, because it introduced Blazor, enabling developers to build interactive web apps with C# instead of JavaScript. Blazor Server brought real-time, server-side rendering via SignalR, enhancing the user experience. With its component-based architecture, dependency injection, and full-stack C# capabilities, .NET Core 3.0 allowed developers to create scalable, reusable web applications while reducing reliance on JavaScript frameworks.
Features
Blazor Server: Allowed for server-side rendering of interactive web UIs using C# instead of JavaScript. The UI updates were processed on the server and communicated via SignalR.
Component-based architecture: The UI is built using reusable components.
Event handling and data binding: Two-way binding between the UI and the data model.
Dependency Injection (DI): Integrated DI for managing services and lifecycles.
Interop with JavaScript: Allowed Blazor to call JavaScript APIs and vice versa.
.NET 5 — Blazor WebAssembly GA Release (Nov 2020)
For me, Blazor WebAssembly is a game changer, because it enables developers to build interactive web apps using C# instead of JavaScript, running directly in the browser. By leveraging WebAssembly, it delivers native-like performance for client-side applications. With full-stack .NET development, Blazor simplifies the process, offering features like component-based architecture, reusable code, and enhanced interactivity. This allows for the creation of modern, responsive web apps within the familiar .NET ecosystem, streamlining development and deployment
Blazor WebAssembly: Client-side execution in the browser using WebAssembly, allowing C# code to run directly in the browser without a server.
Lazy loading of assemblies: Improved performance by only loading assemblies as needed.
CSS Isolation: Scoped CSS to individual components.
PWA support: Blazor WebAssembly projects could be configured as Progressive Web Apps (PWAs).
Improved interop with JavaScript: Simplified calling JavaScript from Blazor and vice versa.
.NET 6 — Performance and New Features (Nov 2021)
.NET 6, released in November 2021, enhanced Blazor Server and WebAssembly with key features like Hot Reload for instant UI updates and AOT compilation for near-native performance. It also improved error boundaries, enabled Blazor components in .NET MAUI for mobile and desktop apps, and optimized rendering and JavaScript isolation for faster, more efficient apps.
Hot Reload: Allows developers to see UI changes without restarting the app.
Ahead-of-Time (AOT) compilation: Available in Blazor WebAssembly, allowing native-like performance by precompiling WebAssembly before sending it to the browser.
Improved error boundaries: Better error handling within components.
.NET MAUI Blazor apps: Introduced the ability to run Blazor components in native mobile and desktop applications through .NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI).
New rendering improvements: Reduced the overhead when rendering components to make apps faster.
JavaScript isolation: Better mechanisms to package and isolate JavaScript modules.
.NET 7 — Enhanced Flexibility and Performance (Nov 2022)
.NET 7, released in November 2022, improved developer productivity and performance with enhanced rendering, reusable Blazor components for any web framework, and required parameters for components. It also boosted WebAssembly AOT performance, refined data binding and form handling, and improved .NET MAUI support for hybrid apps, enabling better code sharing across platforms.
Improved rendering performance: Further performance optimizations in component rendering, especially for large applications.
Blazor custom elements: Blazor components could be packaged as reusable custom elements that work in any web framework (e.g., Angular, React).
public static class MyBlazorComponentExtensions { public static void UseCustomElement(this WebAssemblyHostBuilder builder) { builder.RootComponents.Add<App>("#app"); builder.RootComponents.Add<MyComponent>("my-blazor-component"); } }
Required parameters: Component parameters could be marked as required to improve robustness.
Data binding and form handling enhancements: Simplified the development of forms and complex data binding scenarios.
WebAssembly Ahead-of-Time (AOT) performance improvements: Continued improvements to WebAssembly AOT performance.
.NET MAUI and Blazor hybrid apps: Improved support for hybrid apps using Blazor components in .NET MAUI apps, making it easier to share code across web, mobile, and desktop.
.NET 8 — Unified Blazor: Server, WebAssembly, SSR (Nov 2023)
.NET 8, released in November 2023, is my favorite release to date, because it introduced Blazor United, unifying Blazor Server, WebAssembly, and SSR. It improved SSR for better SEO, added WebAssembly multithreading, and enhanced SignalR for Blazor Server. AOT performance, authentication, and reusable component support were also improved, along with better integration with .NET MAUI for mobile and desktop apps.
Blazor United: A unified hosting model for Blazor, allowing apps to combine Blazor Server, WebAssembly, and Server-Side Rendering (SSR) in the same project, optimizing for different scenarios.
Blazor Server-Side Rendering (SSR): Improved SSR for better SEO and faster initial page load times by pre-rendering components on the server and sending them to the client.
SignalR improvements: Made it easier to use Blazor Server over slower or unstable networks.
Blazor WebAssembly Multithreading: Experimental support for multithreading in WebAssembly, allowing Blazor apps to take advantage of parallel processing in the browser.
Authentication and authorization improvements: Streamlined authentication processes with built-in support for OpenID Connect (OIDC) and other security mechanisms.
Better component reusability: Enhanced mechanisms for building reusable UI components with render fragments and template features.
Blazor in .NET MAUI: Continued improvements for running Blazor components inside native mobile and desktop applications using .NET MAUI.
.NET 9 (Planned for 2024)
While not officially released yet, .NET 9 is expected to bring more improvements, especially in the following areas:
Blazor Auto: Automatically determining the most efficient Blazor hosting model (Server, WebAssembly, SSR) based on client capabilities.
Further enhancements in AOT: Reduced payload sizes and faster WebAssembly runtime.
Continued focus on WebAssembly performance and multithreading: Expected to enhance client-side performance for complex applications.
In Summary
Blazor has transformed the .NET ecosystem by allowing developers to build interactive web apps with C# instead of JavaScript. From Blazor WebAssembly in .NET 5 to its unification in .NET 8, it has evolved with new features, better performance, and deeper .NET integration. With support for custom elements and hybrid apps across web, mobile, and desktop, Blazor has expanded .NET’s capabilities. As it continues to evolve, Blazor makes it easier to build faster, scalable apps while keeping a consistent dev experience. The future of Blazor in .NET is bright, promising more innovation and seamless integration.
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