First of all, we must clarify an important fact: WebForms Core is not a product of Microsoft. This technology was introduced by Elanat in 2024. While it offers an experience similar to Microsoft WebForms, it is a completely new and independent architecture that is merely inspired by the WebForms name and shares no technical commonality with Microsoft’s classic version.
Comprehensive Comparison Table
| Comparison Axis | Classic WebForms (Microsoft) | WebForms Core (Elanat) | Comparison Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Year | 2002 | 2024 | 22-year technology gap |
| Platform | .NET Framework (Windows) | All popular web programming languages (cross-platform) | WebForms Core is modern and cross-platform |
| Support Status | Deprecated – Not supported in .NET Core | Actively maintained | Microsoft has abandoned WebForms |
| Architecture Model | Server-side, Page-centric | Hybrid Server-Client, Commander-Executor | Fundamental difference |
| State Management | ViewState – heavy, Base64 | Stateless – no ViewState | Major revolution |
| DOM Modification | Postback + full page reload | INI commands + Ajax + direct DOM manipulation | WebForms Core: 1000× lighter |
| Data Format | ViewState (Base64, bulky) | INI-like (text-based, tens of bytes) | WebForms Core: 99% size reduction |
| Server Round-trips | For every interaction | Only when needed + full client execution possible | Massive traffic reduction |
| Client-side Payload | ~380 KB (ASP.NET Ajax) | 40 KB (WebFormsJS) | ~90% lighter |
| HTML Flexibility | Limited to server controls | Full access to all HTML elements | Full developer freedom |
| Server Load | Very high | Very low (stateless) | Unlimited scalability |
| Bandwidth Usage | High | Optimized | Significant cost reduction |
| Backend Learning Curve | Medium | Very low (just C#) | Flat learning curve |
| Windows Dependency | Mandatory (IIS) | None (Linux, macOS, Windows) | Deploy anywhere |
| MVC/Razor Integration | Impossible | Full – alongside MVC, Razor, Minimal API | Gradual migration |
| Language Support | C# and VB.NET only | Multi-language (C#, Python, Java, PHP, Node.js, Go, Rust) | Beyond .NET |
| Offline Capability | None | Yes (incl. Service Workers) | PWA-ready |
| Real-time Support | Separate SignalR | Built-in (SSE + WebSocket) | Simpler and integrated |
In-depth Analysis of Fundamental Differences
1. Architectural Philosophy: Page-Centric vs. Commander-Executor
Classic WebForms is based on the Page Lifecycle concept. Every user interaction sends the entire page back to the server (Postback), the full lifecycle is executed, ViewState is reconstructed, and the entire HTML is re-rendered. This model is inherently expensive and inefficient.
WebForms Core uses the Commander-Executor pattern. The server acts as the commander and issues INI-like commands. The client (WebFormsJS) receives these commands and applies them directly to the DOM. There is no Postback, no Page Lifecycle, and no ViewState. This distinction creates two completely different worlds.
2. State Management Revolution: The Death of ViewState
Perhaps the biggest weakness of classic WebForms was ViewState. This hidden field, sometimes hundreds of kilobytes in size, stored the state of all controls in Base64 and was transmitted back and forth with every request.
WebForms Core completely eliminates ViewState. No state is stored in the page. The server is stateless, and each request is processed independently. This results in:
- Complete removal of ViewState overhead
- 99% reduction in bandwidth usage
- Dramatically faster load times
- Infinite horizontal scalability (no sticky sessions required)
3. Programming Model: Server Controls vs. Free HTML
In classic WebForms, developers were forced to use <asp:TextBox> and other server controls. These controls generated HTML but sacrificed flexibility, often producing unpredictable and non-standard markup.
In WebForms Core, developers write plain HTML and manipulate it from the server. There are no proprietary controls. You fully own your HTML, and the server merely sends commands such as form.SetBackgroundColor("TextBox1", "red"), resulting in a lightweight client response like (bcTextBox1=red). This means:
- Fully standard and predictable HTML
- Complete freedom to use any CSS framework
- Seamless integration with any JavaScript library
4. Independence from Windows and IIS
Classic WebForms was tightly coupled to Windows and IIS. Deploying on Linux or macOS was impossible—a fatal limitation in the cloud-native and container era.
WebForms Core is not tied to .NET and is fully cross-platform. It can run on Linux, Windows, macOS, and environments such as Docker and Kubernetes. It can be implemented in all popular web languages such as C#, Python, Java, PHP, and Node.js.
5. Support Status and Future Outlook
Microsoft has explicitly stated that WebForms is not supported in ASP.NET Core. The last classic WebForms release shipped in 2018 with .NET Framework 4.8 and will receive no significant future updates. Even CMS platforms such as Sitefinity have discontinued WebForms support.
In contrast, WebForms Core is a living and evolving technology. Released in 2024, it is actively maintained, with a growing user community.
Problems of Classic WebForms and Their Solutions in WebForms Core
| Classic WebForms Problem | WebForms Core Solution |
|---|---|
| Heavy ViewState | Complete removal via stateless architecture |
| Postback with full page refresh | Ajax + INI commands + targeted DOM updates |
| Windows/IIS dependency | Cross-platform (Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker) |
| Non-standard controls | Pure HTML + server-side manipulation |
| Complex lifecycle | Simple PageLoad model + direct events |
| No modern framework integration | Works with MVC, Razor, Minimal API |
| Poor testability | Command-level testability |
| SEO limitations | Standard, crawlable HTML |
| No .NET Core support | Supports .NET Core and other platforms |
Conclusion: These Two Are Not Comparable
Classic WebForms and WebForms Core share a name, but not a DNA.
Classic WebForms is a 2002 technology—born in the era of IE6, ViewState, Postback, and Windows-only hosting. It is now obsolete, and even Microsoft has abandoned it.
WebForms Core is a 2024 technology—modern, cross-platform, stateless, lightweight, and based on standard HTML. It is not a return to the past, but a leap into the future.
Perhaps the most fitting description comes from the developer community:
“Turning a terminally ill cancer patient into an Olympic champion.”
WebForms Core preserves the familiar name and feel of WebForms while fundamentally fixing all its weaknesses and reimagining it for the modern web era.
If you are looking to modernize legacy WebForms projects, WebForms Core offers the lowest migration cost with the highest productivity. And if you are starting a new project, it stands as a serious and efficient option.
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