Active Server Pages - ASP -- Pros and Cons	Visited: 1635 1.3/5.0 (4 votes total) Rate: Select 1 - Terrible 2 - Poor 3 - Average 4 - Good 5 - Outstanding
by Maneet Puri December 12, 2007

Active Server Pages

Active Server Pages or ASP.NET is a new programming framework from Microsoft for deploying next generation web applications. It is a structure built on the Common Language Runtime and introduces a new model to server-side web development. It is used with IIS (Internet Information Server) which runs on Microsoft servers.

Advantages of ASP

Performance
The code written in .Net Framework is complied in Common Language Runtime. ASP.NET can take advantage of early binding, just-in-time compilation, automatic resource optimization, runtime profiling, automatic memory management, enhanced exception handling, and caching services, right out-of-the-box, this boosts the performance before you begin coding.

Data-caching module
ASP.NET comes with a data-caching module. This data-caching module lets you identify what data on an ASP page to cache and on what conditions to empty the cache and re-query the data-store.

Tool Support
Now you can drag-and-drop web controls like you do VB controls, double-click and write the server code for the control. ASP .NET supports XCOPY deployment that needs no registration or stopping of the server, supports dynamic DLL updates and extensible configuration using XML files.

Flexibility
Because ASP.NET is based on the Common Language Runtime, the power and flexibility of that entire platform is made available to web application developers. The Common Language Runtime's Base Class libraries, Messaging, and Data Access solutions are all flawlessly accessible from the web. ASP.NET is also language-independent, so you can select a language that best applies to your application, or partition your application across many languages. Moreover, Common Language Runtime interoperability guarantees that your existing investment in COM-based development is preserved when migrating to ASP.NET.

Disadvantages of ASP

Cost Factor
Running ASP programs costs higher as it requires IIS installed on a Windows platform server which is not free. Moreover, the connectivity of the database is very costly in ASP as you have to buy MS-SQL which is a Microsoft product.

Speed
When it comes to speed, ASP is relatively slower than PHP. This is because ASP can’t run fast as it is built on COM based architecture which is an overhead for the server.

Platform Compatibility
ASP is not platform compatible like PHP as and is primarily related with Windows platform with ASP-Apache installed on the server.

Additional Cost
Unlike PHP ASP doesn’t have any built-in features such as FTP, email from a webpage and encryption mechanisms and hence, some additional components are required which results in additional expenditure as well.

Base Language
ASP has lots of syntax that are based on Visual Basic which most programmers are not conversant with. Moreover, it is again a product of Microsoft. Probably, this is why many coders prefer PHP over ASP.

ASP has always been a prime choice for e-commerce application development. The controversy as which one is the better between ASP and PHP still continues. However, both have its respective merits and demerits. Either of these programming languages supports a specific platform. Hence, it is really difficult to say that one is better than the other.