ASP.NET Web Pages provides a variety of built-in helpers that simplify the process of generating HTML elements and performing common tasks. These helpers allow developers to create forms, input fields, links, and other UI components with ease, enhancing productivity and maintainability.

Common Built-in Helpers

Here are some of the most commonly used built-in helpers in ASP.NET Web Pages:

1. Html.TextBox

The Html.TextBox helper generates a text input field. You can specify attributes such as the name, value, and HTML attributes.

        
            @{
                var username = "JohnDoe"; // Example value
            }
            <label for="username">Username:</label>
            @Html.TextBox("username", username, new { @class = "form-control", placeholder = "Enter your username" })
            

2. Html.Password

The Html.Password helper generates a password input field.

        
            <label for="password">Password:</label>
            @Html.Password("password", new { @class = "form-control", placeholder = "Enter your password" })
            

3. Html.TextArea

The Html.TextArea helper generates a multi-line text input field.

        
            <label for="comments">Comments:</label>
            @Html.TextArea("comments", null, new { @class = "form-control", rows = 4, placeholder = "Enter your comments" })
            

4. Html.DropDownList

The Html.DropDownList helper generates a drop-down list. You can provide a list of options to populate the drop-down.

        
            @{
                var options = new List<SelectListItem>
                {
                    new SelectListItem { Text = "Option 1", Value = "1" },
                    new SelectListItem { Text = "Option 2", Value = "2" },
                    new SelectListItem { Text = "Option 3", Value = "3" }
                };
            }
            <label for="options">Select an Option:</label>
            @Html.DropDownList("options", options, new { @class = "form-control" })
            

5. Html.CheckBox

The Html.CheckBox helper generates a checkbox input.

        
            <label for="subscribe">Subscribe to newsletter:</label>
            @Html.CheckBox("subscribe", false, new { @class = "form-check-input" })
            

6. Html.RadioButton

The Html.RadioButton helper generates a radio button input.

        
            <label>Choose a color:</label><br />
            @Html.RadioButton("color", "Red") Red<br />
            @Html.RadioButton("color", "Green") Green<br />
            @Html.RadioButton("color", "Blue") Blue
            

7. Html.ActionLink

The Html.ActionLink helper generates a hyperlink that links to a specified action method in a controller.

        
            @Html.ActionLink("Go to Home", "Index", "Home", null, new { @class = "btn btn-link" })
            

8. Html.BeginForm

The Html.BeginForm helper generates a form element that can be used to submit data to a specified action method.

        
            @using (Html.BeginForm("Submit", "Home", FormMethod.Post, new { @class = "form -submit" }))
            {
                <h2>Submit Your Information</h2>
                <label for="username">Username:</label>
                @Html.TextBox("username", null, new { @class = "form-control" })
                
                <label for="password">Password:</label>
                @Html.Password("password", new { @class = "form-control" })
                
                <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Submit</button>
            }
            

Conclusion

ASP.NET Web Pages provides a rich set of built-in helpers that streamline the process of creating forms and UI elements. By utilizing these helpers, developers can focus on building functionality without getting bogged down in the details of HTML markup. These helpers not only enhance productivity but also ensure that the generated HTML is consistent and adheres to best practices.