asp vs aspx – what’s the diff?

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Anyone have a link that might explain the differences between *.asp and *.aspx?

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Peter, it’s hard to get definitive information, but here’s a few things to peek. I don’t know if it will answer your questions; but there are some good examples in the following links.

• ASPX vs. ASP: What is Microsoft .net and ASPX?
• ASP vs. ASP.NET (Microsoft Developer Network)
• An Overview in the Differences Between ASP and ASP.net
• ASP and Asp.net Differences Summarized[/list]Hope that helps,

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Thanks, Mark ~ great links!

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Hi Peter,

As you know (and as the links provided by Mark point out), ASP is the extension used by classic ASP files. ASPX (and a few other extensions such as ASCX) belong to ASP.NET files (of course, using the .NET Framework).

This difference in extension names is the one thing that allows a web-server to simultaneously support the .NET Framework along with classic ASP files. The ASP files are directed to ASP.DLL for processing (just as they have always been) and the ASPX files are processed by the .NET framework.

As a side note, I’ve recently started to work more with ASP.NET. I am VERY impressed! I don’t have the programming background of many other Loungers, but I find the ASP.NET very logical and intuitive. Also, the VS.NET environment really comes alive when working with .NET apps (as opposed to using it as a code editor for classic ASP apps).

Hope this helps!

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I have been beting myself to death with VBS, and your endorsement of .NET may convince me to move (altho it seems like changing horses in midstream). I have a lot of Delphi experience, and I am hearing that the .NET framework is similar to that of Delphi, only “more so”.

Thanks Mark!

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I don’t know much about Delphi… but let me give you another tasty tid-bit about .NET:

From what I’ve read (and seen examples of), you can take the business logic used in ASP.NET and apply it to any other environment – Windows apps or Mobile apps. Basically, .NET is .NET, is .NET in any environment. That will save you having to rewrite business logic for multiple platforms of the same application.

A good example of this would be a simple database front-end app. You can design a certain level of functionality into a web application, then re-use the same logic and functionality (and probably much of the same code) for the Windows app.

Pretty neat, huh?

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Indeed it is neat.

Delphi comes in two flavors: Delphi (for windoze) and Kylix (for linux). The Visual Component Library is supplied on both systems with the same API, so it’s easy to generate an app for both platforms by just “switching libraries.”

.NET moves the VCL idea to a lower level, replacing the Windows API calls with calls to the Common Language Runtime. This whole business is one of the reasons MSFT spent $1.5M to hire Anders Hejlsberg away from Borland – they wanted him to build this thing for them.

The cool thing about the CLR is that it is accessible on varied Windows platforms (not linux or unix, tho), from multiple languages. And, there’s a Delphi compiler for the .NET platform too! I may be closer to moving than I thought!

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Peter:

If you’re looking to wade into ASP.NET, I commend Web Matrix to you. It’s freeware, but really rather functional. Not to mention the pre-made components they have with handy “TO DO” comments in the code and an online tutorial. Change the appropriate variables, and you’re in business. Good luck!

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Thanks Shane ~ I’d seen that page. “Wade in” is going to have to wait just a bit longer, ’til I can get the current job done!

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