ASP.NET MVC HTML Helpers: Programmatically Generating HTML Controls

Learn how to use HTML Helpers in ASP.NET MVC to generate HTML controls within your views. This tutorial explains the benefits of using HTML Helpers, provides examples of common helper methods (TextBox, Label, DropDownList, etc.), and demonstrates how to create forms and other HTML elements programmatically.

ASP.NET MVC HTML Helpers

Introduction to HTML Helpers

In ASP.NET MVC, HTML Helpers are methods that generate HTML controls programmatically within your views. They provide a more structured and maintainable way to create HTML compared to writing the HTML directly in your views. HTML Helpers are extension methods of the HtmlHelper class, simplifying the generation of common HTML elements.

HtmlHelper Class: Constructors and Properties

The HtmlHelper class has two constructors and several properties that provide access to routing information and view data:

Constructors

Constructor	Description
`HtmlHelper(ViewContext, IViewDataContainer)`	Initializes a new instance using the specified view context and view data container.
`HtmlHelper(ViewContext, IViewDataContainer, RouteCollection)`	Initializes a new instance using the view context, view data container, and route collection.

Properties

Property	Description
`RouteCollection`	Gets or sets the route collection.
`ViewBag`	Gets the view bag (dynamic object for passing data).
`ViewContext`	Gets or sets the view context.
`ViewData`	Gets the current view data dictionary.
`ViewDataContainer`	Gets or sets the view data container.

HtmlHelper Extension Methods

The HtmlHelper class provides many extension methods for generating HTML controls. Here are some key methods:

Method	Description
`Action()`	Renders a child action. (Overloaded versions exist.)
`BeginForm()`	Generates the opening tag for an HTML form. (Overloaded versions exist.)
`CheckBox()`	Generates a checkbox input element. (Overloaded versions exist.)
`DropDownList()`	Generates a dropdown list. (Overloaded versions exist.)
`Editor()`	Generates an HTML input element for each property in a model. (Overloaded versions exist.)
`EndForm()`	Generates the closing tag for an HTML form.
`Label()`	Generates an HTML label element. (Overloaded versions exist.)
`ListBox()`	Generates a list box (multiple selection). (Overloaded versions exist.)
`Password()`	Generates a password input element. (Overloaded versions exist.)
`RadioButton()`	Generates a radio button. (Overloaded versions exist.)
`TextArea()`	Generates a text area element. (Overloaded versions exist.)
`TextBox()`	Generates a text input element. (Overloaded versions exist.)

Example: Creating a Registration Form using HTML Helpers

This example demonstrates building a user registration form using HTML Helper methods. (The code for the view (HtmlHelperDemo.cshtml) and the controller (StudentsController.cs) would be included here. This would include the code for handling the form submission and retrieving values from the form. Screenshots showing the form and the output after form submission would also be added.)