ASP.NET Core MVC Interview Question #174

When should you use MVC instead of a client-side SPA architecture?

Testing, AJAX/JavaScript Integration, Localization & Advanced MVC Senior Advanced

Quick Interview Answer

Server-rendered MVC is a strong choice when the application is page-oriented, benefits from straightforward SEO and initial rendering, uses forms and navigation heavily, or does not require extensive client-side state and interaction.

Detailed Explanation

Server-rendered MVC is a strong choice when the application is page-oriented, benefits from straightforward SEO and initial rendering, uses forms and navigation heavily, or does not require extensive client-side state and interaction.

A SPA can be appropriate when the product requires highly interactive client-side workflows and a rich application-like experience. The choice should be based on product requirements, team skills, deployment complexity, performance goals, and maintainability rather than treating either architecture as universally superior.

Code Example

// MVC page-oriented flow:
public async Task<IActionResult> Details(int id)
{
    var model = await _service.GetAsync(id);
    return model == null ? NotFound() : View(model);
}