Technologies used in building web applications and websites are developing dynamically, and the Blazor platform, introduced by Microsoft, is one of the newer and more interesting solutions. 

As defined by the manufacturer, “Blazor is a client-side web platform that enables developers to build web applications using C# and .NET.” This makes it a viable alternative to JavaScript. While JavaScript frameworks such as Angular, React, and Vue.js have been a common choice for web development for many years, Blazor has some unique advantages that make it worth considering. 

From this article, you will learn, among other things, which aspects of the Blazor framework outweigh the functionalities of JavaScript and in which cases it is worth using it.  

What is the Blazor framework and what are its main features? 

Blazor is an open-source web framework, presented by Microsoft in 2018 and intensively developed in subsequent years. It is a tool for creating an interactive web user interface on the client’s side using the .NET platform. 

Blazor’s main features include:  

• the ability to create user interfaces using C# instead of JavaScript, 
• rendering of the user interface as HTML and CSS code, enabling support for a wide range of browsers, including mobile browsers, 
• option of integration with modern hosting platforms, such as the Docker Platform, 
• compatibility with JavaScript, useful when the use of this technology in part of the project is necessary, 
• the ability to build hybrid classic and mobile applications using the .NET and Blazor platforms. 

What are the common tools related to the Blazor framework that you should know? 

The dynamic development of Blazor and its desire to offer the most extensive possibilities of creating not only web applications but also mobile and desktop applications has led to the creation of several tools and solutions closely related to it. 

The most important of them are: 

1. Blazor Serwer:

It is a server-side application in the .NET platform, providing a much smaller size of files necessary to download and much faster application loading compared to other solutions. 

2. Blazor WebAssembly:

Blazor WebAssembly creates an interactive web application on the client side, based on components. Thanks to this solution, the application does not require any operations from the server and is fully functional after downloading. 

3. Blazor Hybrid:

Blazor Hybrid combines web technologies (HTML, CSS, and optionally JavaScript) with the capabilities of a Multi-Platform App UI (MAUI), which uses one common codebase to run across Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. By using the MAUI and Blazor platforms together, you can use one set of UI components not only in web applications but also in desktop and mobile applications. 

If you would like to find out the possibilities of using the Blazor framework in your project, please contact our experts who will advise you in this regard. 

The main benefits of using the Blazor framework 

In addition to having the same advantages as modern solutions such as Angular, React, and Vue.js, the Blazor framework allows both client-side and server-side coding using the same .NET technology. Thanks to this, it is possible to reuse the same classes on both sides, which significantly simplifies the development of websites and web applications. 

Other benefits of using the Blazor framework include: 

1. Ability to run .NET development platform code in browsers

Before the introduction of Blazor, developers who used the .NET platform to create the back-end of the application had to use other solutions to develop the front-end part (usually using JavaScript for this). This increased the cost of the project, as it had to be worked on by specialists who knew both solutions or separate front-end and back-end teams. 

Thanks to the use of Blazor, the same code can be used both on the client and server side, significantly simplifying the work of programmers.  

2. Blazor is faster than JavaScript in many cases

The use of Blazor on the front end allows you to easily build high-performance applications, such as video games or augmented reality solutions. 

Additionally, by pre-compiling with WebAssembly, server-side code runs faster than languages like JavaScript. The more extensive and advanced the solution you create, the more pronounced will be the difference in the achievable speed. 

3. Blazor-based apps can run offline

Once users download the app, they can use it offline without affecting its speed or performance. 

4. No restrictions in the use of HTML and CSS, enabling cooperation even with older browsers

Despite using custom templates to create the UI components, the final result is rendered in standard HTML and CSS in the browser. 

Therefore, it is possible to use any CSS functions and CSS libraries to stylize the appearance of pages and create responsive designs, as well as to use any standard HTML attributes. 

5. Possibility to increase the performance of the web application using “lazy loading”

Lazy loading (or on-demand loading) is a technique that optimizes the loading of resources on a website or web application. The main idea of this solution is not to download all the elements during the initial loading of the page or application, and to load them only when they are needed. By such a delay in loading resources, the speed and convenience of using the application are significantly improved. 

6. Component-based architecture

Blazor uses an architecture where the UI is built around reusable components. These components can be nested within each other, allowing you to build modular and maintainable code. Using Blazor allows you to quickly and easily create complex user interfaces. 

Why should you consider using Blazor and not a JavaScript framework in your project? 

As we mentioned, the main advantage of Blazor over JavaScript frameworks is the ability to code both client-side and server-side using the same technology. This allows you to reuse the same classes on both sides, which translates into simplifying the process of creating websites and web applications. 

However, it is worth mentioning a few more factors that may speak in favor of Blazor compared to JavaScript. 

1. No need to learn new languages for C# programmers. 

Developers who already have experience in working with C # and .NET, thanks to the introduction of Blazor, gained access to new possibilities for creating portals and applications using the programming environment they already know, without the need to learn additional technologies. 

2. In many cases, Blazor-based apps provide faster load times and better overall performance. 

Often, Blazor offers better performance than traditional JavaScript frameworks. This is because Blazor apps are built in WebAssembly, which allows them to run at speeds close to native in the browser. Additionally, Blazor leverages the capabilities of the .NET framework for efficient memory management and optimized execution. As a result, applications made using Blazor have better performance and load faster. 

3. Access to an extensive backend of tools created by Microsoft. 

Blazor takes full advantage of the extensive tools and ecosystem provided by the .NET platform, thanks to which we gain access to a wide range of libraries, frameworks, and packages that can be easily integrated with the applications we create. 

In addition, having access to one of the most popular integrated development environments (IDE), which is Visual Studio, developers using Blazor gain support in the form of an integrated debugger and code refactoring mechanisms. In many cases, these tools are easier to use compared to JavaScript platforms. 

Summary 

As you can see, Blazor has some unique advantages that make it worth considering. While JavaScript frameworks such as Angular, React, and Vue.js have been the go-to choice for web development for many years, Blazor’s flexibility speaks volumes in its favor for many projects. 

We know from conversations with our clients that it is often difficult to independently assess which framework will be the best solution. In such a situation, it may be optimal to use the support of a partner such as SOFTIQ, which has experience with projects using both Blazor and JavaScript. 

Such competencies are especially valuable when you already have some code written in JavaScript but want to take advantage of the unique advantages of Blazor. Thanks to the knowledge of our programmers, you have this opportunity and do not have to choose one of the solutions – we know how to achieve the best results by combining them. 

If you would like to find out which solution will work best for your project, please contact our experts who will help you evaluate it. 

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