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Documentation: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/architecture/modern-web-apps-azure/

traditional web apps

  • Perform most app logic on the server
  • Choose when:
    • Client-side requirements are simple (or even read-only) (search engines; blogs; CMS public-facing apps)
    • App needs to function in browsers without JavaScript

single page applications

  • Perform most UI logic in web browser and communicate with the web server via APIs
  • Using CI/CD may be more difficult
  • Choose when:
    • App must expose a rich UI with many features
      • SPAs load more quickly; user actions are more responsive
      • SPAs support incremental updates, saving partially completed forms/docs; drag-and-drop; disconnected mode
    • Team is familiar with JavaScript / TypeScript / Blazor WASM
    • App must already expose an API for other clients

Blazor (Blazor Server or Blazor WASM)

  • Build rich UIs (like with SPA) but without significant JavaScript
  • Choose when
    • App must expose a rich UI with many features
    • Team is more comfortable with .NET vs. JavaScript / TypeScript